PORT
Port Gdanski Eksploatacja SA is one of the largest port operators in Poland. With 30 years’ experience backing it, the operator is in a prime position to support expansion plans at its home base of the Port of Gdańsk. Mariusz Wdowczyk, CEO of Port of Gdański Eksploatacja, explained more in conversation with Hannah Barnett and Imogen Ward.
Port of Gdański Eksploatacja (PGE SA) can be found on the southern coast of Gdańsk Bay in Poland. As one of the largest transshipment operators across the Polish seaports, PGE’s operations are supporting the continued growth of its base at the Port of Gdańsk.
“Here at PGE SA, we employ almost 400 people,” said Mariusz Wdowczyk, CEO of Port of Gdański Eksploatacja. “Each one is part of a strong and well-coordinated team. Through hard work and determination our team is supporting the continuous expansion that is occurring at the Port of Gdańsk.”
The Port of Gdańsk
Situated in Poland, The Port of Gdańsk is built up of three parts: the inner port, the outer port and the northern port. The
outer port handles the largest vessels, w hilst the inner port handles a large variety of cargo. Most recently, this has included a large portion of agricultural goods and liquid fuels, which successfully contributed to the port’s latest annual
cargo handling milestone of more than 80 million tonnes. This is an increase of more than 12.7 million tonnes in comparison to the previous year.
As the port serving a population of one million civilians, and a rotating population of up to 70 million seafarers, it is no wonder that it maintains a heavy focus on growth. Currently in its 10th year of record growth, t he port is reliant on its operators to ensure this vision becomes a reality.
First-class facilities
With 30 years of experience behind it, PGE SA is the largest operator at the Port of Gdańsk. The company operates with the support of two main divisions: Goods and Services, and Waterfront.
Under its Waterfront operations, PGE SA has eight quays, spanning the length of 5km. Each one is pivotal to the operator’s ability to aid the Port of Gdańsk’s recordbreaking growth.
The quays of the Górniczy Basin are hugely effective at reloading dry bulk goods, liquid bulk goods and other unitised general cargo. With three quays in situ, the basin consists of Węglowe Quay, operating with a length of 780m, Rudowe (695m) and Administracyjne (125m).
The Szczecińskie Quay is adept at handling unitised general cargo, as well as steel products and structures. With a total operating length of 365m, the quay is home to 4,800 sqm of warehouses and two storage yards totalling 48,500 sqm.
The company’s two WOC quays are also geared up to handle the reloading of steel structures and products, as well as cars and more general cargo. With a combined length of 1,066m these quays come equipped with a Ro-Ro ramp and 60,000 sqm of storage yards.
Finally, the Oliwskie Quay, which is 600m in length and features around 31,200 sqm of storage, and the Vistula
“We have an excellent team onboard, that never fails to give it their all. This is what motivates me every single day”
Quay (the largest of them all at an impressive 1,160m) are both capable of handling steel products, unitised general cargo and dry bulk cargo.
“We also have convenient access to the A1 motorway, and two railway stations enable us to easily and efficiently reload goods by rail,” Mr Wdowczyk explained.
Efficient operations
When it comes to offloading goods, PGE SA is the perfect partner. With 640,000 sqm of storage space and the capacity to load 6.9
million tonnes, PGE SA is an unstoppable force at the Port of Gdańsk. The company currently has three cranes located at the port, also each with a maximum lift of 120 DWT. Two of these cranes are recent additions, following a strategic acquisition last year.
Both cranes were supplied with grabbers for coal and ore – the operator’s main source of business – as well as a spreader. It was hoped that with these purchases, PGE SA would be able to improve its overall operational efficiencies.
With this in mind, the company also made several other investments in the same year, including a new RIMO SL1400/M conveyor belt. Acquired in May last year, the new equipment was added to PGE SA’s portfolio to improve truck-to-ship loading times. So far, the equipment has been a positive investment, working to reload grain and other goods at the port.
“The bulk of our goods covers coal, coke and grain, but we also discharge dangerous goods and steel profiles,” said Mr Wdowczyk. “At the moment, the
coke, coal and grain attribute to the largest portion of our daily activities.”
The port operator also handles fertilisers and structures weighing up to 150 tonnes. It also has all the equipment needed to carry out Ro-Ro reloading.
Top-notch teamwork
With teamwork a prominent element of PGE SA’s operations, the company likes to align itself with other organisations that reciprocate this ethos. Also one to partake in community-led events and CSR initiatives, last year PGE SA partnered with
Torus Wybrzeże Gdańsk, a local handball club based in Pomerania. Having signed a cooperation agreement with the club, PGE intends to support the sports group for the foreseeable future, providing them with better opportunities to create memories and add to a long-standing legacy of handball within Gdańsk.
With another successful year on the cards, PGE SA journeys through 2024 with a new President of the Management Board. Having been elected into the role at the end of Q2 last year, Mr Wdowczyk joined the role with over 20 years’ experience in similar roles. With expertise in building strategies, security departments and investment management, Mr Wdowczyk is the perfect person for the role as the operator continues to support the port’s mission for growth.
When discussing his time at PGE SA, Mr Wdowczyk also highlighted teamwork as a crucial element in the company’s daily operations.
“Every day is new, and no two hours are the same,” said Mr Toda, in conclusion. “As the largest operator in the port, we have to be prepared to react quickly to these changes, sometimes that can be very challenging, but I enjoy a challenge, and so does our team. We have an excellent team onboard, that never fails to give it their all. This is what motivates me every single day.
“I have worked here for 27 years, and as one of PGE SA’s longest-standing employees, I am in the unique position of witnessing the evolution of both the port and PGE simultaneously over the years. It’s an incredibly exciting position to be in.” n
