The world’s largest container operator Maersk Line has announced that with effect from 1 December 2008, it will switch its Polish operations from BCT in Gdynia to the new deepwater container terminal DCT Gdansk.

In a circular to customers, Maersk Line stated: “After many years of good cooperation with BCT Gdynia, the time has come to explore new possibilities with DCT Gdansk, allowing Maersk Line to continue to offer its customers a reliable product while maintaining a high level of efficiency and cost effectiveness. “By moving to DCT we have secured the possibility for our customers to continue to grow along with Maersk Line in Poland. Through an open dialogue we will continue to engage our customers in determining the optimal terms of our services in order to cater for our future growth and cooperation.” Welcoming the news, DCT Gdansk’s Chief Executive Officer, Boris Wenzel, commented: “This decision by Maersk Line to switch to our terminal is extremely significant for DCT Gdansk.

When the largest container operator in the Polish market entrusts its business to you, it is proof that you have created an excellent product. Such recognition, after less than one year of operations, is exceptional and is a testimony to all of the hard work put in by our management and staff, who have been steadily improving productivity on a daily basis.” Peter Hildebrandt Nielsen, Maersk Line’s Eastern & Central Europe Cluster Managing Director, added: “With its ice-free open sea access, modern equipment and large rail terminal we are confident that DCT will provide us with high quality port operations and will actively contribute to further improving our product towards the Polish market.” The extra container volumes that will come with Maersk’s arrival will trigger further new investments by DCT. Additional equipment will be introduced and the decision has been made to upgrade its rail terminal to four tracks served by rail- mounted gantry cranes (RMGs).

The DCT Gdansk terminal offers year-round ice-free access to container vessels with drafts of up to 15m, offering perfect conditions to serve as a transhipment hub to St Petersburg and the rest of the Baltic. Its three post-Panamax gantry cranes are able to work vessels carrying containers 18-across on deck. A ro-ro facility has also been provided. The rail terminal, operated by DCT Gdansk, is located adjacent to the marine facility and a major logistics/distribution park is now in the planning stage, making DCT the ideal gateway to Poland and Eastern & Central Europe.