Port of Gdansk inks LoI with Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority
Port of Gdansk Authority SA and the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority signed a Letter of Intent regarding mutual cooperation with Ukrainian ports on October 13 in Odessa, the PGA said in a media release.
"I trust that the cooperation between the Port of Gdansk and the administration of Ukrainian seaports will become the foundation for a common intermodal corridor. The memorandum signed today fits perfectly into the concept of the Three Seas Initiative, but also the Trans-Caspian Corridor," said Minister of Infrastructure, Andrzej Adamczyk.
The document was signed during the official visit of President Andrzej Duda to Ukraine. The presidents of Ukraine and Poland opened the Ukrainian-Polish Transport and Logistics Forum in Odessa, and the agreement between the Port of Gdansk and the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority was signed in their presence. The meeting was attended by the ministers of infrastructure of Poland and Ukraine, Andrzej Adamczyk and Vladyslav Krykliy, respectively. Signing the letter will strengthen economic ties between the Port of Gdansk and Ukrainian ports.
"The ports of Ukraine and the Port of Gdansk have decided on an exchange of knowledge and experience, which in the future can optimise the logistics chains and therefore increase the volumes of goods transshipped by the ports and contribute to better trade relations between the countries," says Lukasz Greinke, President of the Port of Gdansk Authority SA.
The Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority was established in 2013 and it associates 13 ports of our eastern neighbour. Its headquarters is in Odessa, Ukraine's largest port. Located in the north-west part of the Black Sea, at the intersection of historically established trade routes between the East and West, it covers an area of 160 ha. It can accommodate and handle vessels of lengths up to 330 m, drafts up to 13.5 m and widths up to 50 m. There are a total of 55 transshipment quays in the port area. The port includes 9 bulk cargo handling terminals, 6 grain terminals, 2 container terminals, a passenger and oil terminal, 2 terminals dedicated to handling tropical fruit and oils, and also one for refrigerated goods. Container terminals are designed to handle over 650,000 TEU annually. The passenger terminal is one of the largest in the Black Sea and can accommodate up to 5 cruise ships at the same time and sees up to 4 million tourists a year.
Although the ports of Ukraine and Poland are in different geographical locations and operate in different water areas, their mutual needs and goals are very similar. It is difficult to compare the ports of both countries in terms of competitiveness as they mostly deal with different cargo. However, in terms of port infrastructure planning, innovations in cargo and ship handling technology and methods for overcoming obstacles, it is essential to ensure cooperation and the exchange of experience between these ports. There are great prospects for cooperation between the Polish and Ukrainian ports. One of the priority directions is seeking and attracting transit cargo, e.g. from Central Asia or Turkey. The signed agreement will allow us to strengthen cooperation and increase the competitiveness of both ports in respect of their cargo facilities.