Baltic Hub, the largest container terminal in the Baltic Sea, recaps 2023, a year that was full of records, important investments, and new partnerships. The company is optimistic about the future, outlining ambitious plans for the coming years.

In 2023, the company reached another milestone by handling the 20 millionth container in September. The terminal's total operating result for the year is 2,050,813 TEU. The highest number of volumes handled per call, 13,195 TEU, was recorded in September on the Marit Maersk vessel. The most important investment of 2023 was the ongoing construction of the T3 terminal.

- Last year, we recorded volumes of 2.05 million TEUs, confirming the dynamic growth and innovation of our terminal. We also celebrated the handling of the 20 millionth container, another milestone for us. The expansion of the T3 terminal, the purchase of new RTG cranes and the launch of the FAL1 ocean service in cooperation with the CMA CGM group are further important steps that strengthen our position both locally and globally," says Charles Baker, CEO of Baltic Hub.

2023 in figures

In the past year, a total of nearly 7 000 trains were handled on the railway siding at the Baltic Hub. This demonstrates the growing role of rail transport in port operations. Truck traffic was also significant, reaching almost 600,000. As far as sea transport is concerned, the Baltic Hub handled more than 600 vessels, including 105 ocean vessels, one of the largest in the world.

Construction of terminal T3

November 2022 saw the official start of one of the largest investments at the Baltic Hub - the construction of the third terminal - T3 project. As a result of last year's works, an artificial island of 36 hectares was created on which the maneuvering and storage yards will be located. The dredging works for the new T3 deep-water quay were completed.

The T3 project will be equipped with seven STS cranes, capable of handling the largest ships in the world, and 20 semi-automatic RMG cranes, which will be remotely operated in ergonomically designed workstations. This will create a much safer, modern, and comfortable working environment. The T3 project aims to increase the terminal's handling capacity to 4.5 million TEUs per year.

New FAL1 ocean service

Baltic Hub has extended its cooperation with the CMA CGM group in 2023. As of May, CMA CGM's entire Polish freight volume has been consolidated in the Baltic Hub, covering both deep-sea and short-sea routes. In October, CMA CGM Group decided to expand its flagship ocean service, French Asia Line 1, connecting Korea and China to Europe, to the Baltic Hub. As part of the newly launched service, the world's largest LNG-fueled container ship, the CMA CGM Concorde, with its impressive dimensions of 400 m length and 62 m width and a capacity of around 23,000 TEU, called at Gdansk.

New RTG cranes

In 2023, the Baltic Hub's fleet of machines was enriched with 10 RTG electric yard cranes, which will be operating in automatic mode in 2024.  The storage yards where the cranes will move will be equipped with access control, fencing and gates. In the yard itself, the cranes will operate and move automatically. In case of work over the trailers, operator support will be required for safety reasons. During the automation process, the cranes will be integrated with the block access system and the central system that manages the cranes and sends tasks to them. 

Operational records

In August, the Baltic Hub handled a record number of trucks in a single day - 2,811, with an average of around 2,000.

In September, the terminal broke a record for volumes handled in a single call. As many as 13,195 moves were made on the Marit Maersk ship.

Another record was set in November with 6,592 moves per shift.

Just before the end of the year, thanks to the concentration of forces on the railways, as many as 8,201 containers were handled in a week at the Baltic Hub, with an annual average of 6,500 containers per week.

Future plans

Next year, the Baltic Hub plans to make further investments, continue to expand infrastructure and develop cooperation with partners. Plans include further expansion of the T3 deepwater quay. The company also wants to focus on energy efficiency, sustainability, and further social engagement.

- Looking ahead, we plan to continue our path of growth and innovation, focusing on expanding our infrastructure, developing our network of global partnerships, and implementing advanced technologies. Our goal is to continue to improve operational efficiency and keep achieving sustainable growth," adds Charles Baker.