DCT Gdansk celebrates its first year in
business
On 1 October 2008, the Polish deepwater container
terminal DCT Gdansk celebrated its first birthday with a large reception party,
attended by close to 300 people. Amongst invited guests were to be found
representatives of freight forwarders, shipping lines and rail operators
working with the terminal, as well as local authorities with the Mayor of
Gdansk and the Chairman of the Port of Gdansk Authority. The ambassadors of
Australia and Denmark also graced the party with their presence.
These anniversary party celebrations took place on the
terminal apron in a transparent marquee, enabling the invited guests to view
the terminal in operation while the stage inside had been created using a 45ft
open-sided container provided by Containerships, currently the terminal's
largest customer.
The marquee was flanked on one side by a wall of
containers depicting the principal customers of DCT Gdansk while on the other
side, guests had a grandstand view of the 1223 TEU containership Maersk Rome
arriving, loading and then sailing before the party ended. In total, 269
containers, equivalent to 528TEU, were handled using three cranes, each
averaging 35 container moves per hour.
The nearby wall of containers was much admired. It
consisted of containers of Hapag-Lloyd, NYK, CMA CGM, Cosco, ZIM, Safmarine,
Hyundai, Hamburg Sud, MOL, China Shipping, Maersk Line and Maruba Shipping -
all shipping lines that have confirmed they are open for business with DCT.
Maersk Line is the latest customer to be signed up by
DCT Gdansk but the arrival of the red-hulled Maersk Rome was a surprise
to many. The Danish line's contract does not take effect until 1 December 2008
when Maersk will switch its Polish operations from Gdynia to DCT Gdansk. Maersk
executives simply explained that they had wanted to do something special to
celebrate DCT Gdansk's birthday and only apologised that they had not been able
to arrange 'a blue one'.
DCT Gdansk SA is a Polish registered company majority
owned by GIF II (Global Infrastructure Fund II), a specialist fund managed by a
member of the Macquarie Group of Companies, headquartered in Australia. Its new
terminal offers year-round ice-free access to container vessels with depths of
up to 15m, providing 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. In a period of less than a year of activity, the terminal has
acquired the cooperation of the largest shipping line in the world, and many
customers as well. Presently monthly turnover exceeds 10,000 TEU, and will be
multiplied in the coming months with the arrival of Maersk's vessels.
-ends-
Note to editors:
Photographs to accompany this press
release is available to download from the Dunelm Public Relations website at
http://www.dunelmpr.co.uk/DCT-Photogallery-NEW.htm.
The captions read:
"Colin Chanter (right), who
represents the shareholders on the DCT Gdansk SA board of directors, prepares
to cut the cake, watched by Boris Wenzel, CEO of DCT Gdansk (centre) and Danuta
Bilat, DCT's Chief Sales & Marketing Officer (left)."
"While the guests celebrated, Maersk
Rome arrived and sailed, having handled 269 containers, equivalent to 528TEU.
All three quay cranes were used and each averaged 35 moves per hour."
"Over 300 guests attended the party
and were entertained by a stunning show that used a 45ft Containerships
open-sided container for the stage."
For more information about DCT Gdansk please visit
www.dctgdansk.com
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