Strong ports mean a strong maritime economy, which is exemplified by the Port of Gdańsk. As the largest Polish seaport, it has been both growing steadily and performing very well. In 2024 it served 3,559 commercial seagoing vessels and handled 77.4 million tonnes of cargo. It also generated a record net profit, estimated at around PLN 264 million.
Further records were set In 2024 related to liquid fuels (up by more than 1.8 million tonnes, almost 5%) and general cargo (up by around 430,000 tonnes, almost 2%), with container traffic recording an increase of almost 10%. Ore handling also increased by 28,000 tonnes (up 11%), while rolling cargo, i.e. ro-ro, (up 3.6%) also showed positive results. Last year also saw a 4.5% increase in the number of passengers served (cruise ships, ferries).
Last year, cargo handling at the Port of Gdańsk amounted to 77.4 million tonnes. However, if we exclude one cargo group, handled in exceptionally high volumes in 2022 and 2023, the figures are somewhat different. Of course, we refer to coal.
‘Ports of primary importance to the national economy handled more than 136 million tonnes of cargo in 2024. Excluding coal, this is close to 126 million tonnes. Comparing these figures with those for 2023, we see that cargo handling is at the same level. The difference is literally 0.67%. Cargo handling in our ports is at a safe level, which allows us to further develop and increase our potential’, said Arkadiusz Marchewka, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure.
In the case of the Port of Gdańsk, if we exclude coal handling in the statistics, we have a total of 69.5 million tonnes in other cargo groups, a figure that is nearly 2 million tonnes (2.8%) higher than a year ago.
Records not only in terms of fuel
Since the beginning of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine in February 2022, there have been changes in the structure of cargo handling at Polish ports. The crisis in the raw material energy market has influenced the growth of dry and liquid bulk cargo handling, which now accounts for the majority of the cargo in ports. In 2024, liquid fuels continued to be the dominant cargo group in the Port of Gdańsk and reached almost 40 million tonnes. For the past two years, cargo handling of liquid fuels has been at a record high, accounting for 51% of total cargo handling. In second place is general cargo (including containerised cargo) at 30.2%, while cargo handling reached 23.4 million tonnes. Container operators, mainly the Baltic Hub Container Terminal – the largest container terminal on the Baltic Sea – handled 21 million tonnes (2.25 million TEUs). This was followed by coal with 7.8 million tonnes (10.2%), other bulk goods such as aggregates or sulphur with 3.5 million tonnes (4.5%) and grain with 2.9 million tonnes (3.7%).
The change in the cargo handling structure is also related to the average capacity of the commercial vessels that called at the Port of Gdańsk in 2024. During the year, 3,559 vessels were served (43 less than in 2023), with the average GT in 2024 being 1.6% higher than in 2023 at 25,025 (the port served more tankers and ocean-going vessels). There were also 60 cruise ships calling at the Port of Gdańsk in 2024, an increase of 18, and 293 ferries, down by 6 compared to 2023.
‘We have achieved a stable and balanced financial and investment position, which significantly influences the implementation of our business partners’ strategies and the performance of the Port of Gdańsk. We also carry out our own investments and continuously commercialise previously undeveloped spaces. We care for the competitiveness and brand of the Port of Gdańsk by continuously improving our management procedures and taking into account the needs of our stakeholders. All this adds up to good financial results, even in such difficult times’, said Dorota Pyć, President of the Port of Gdańsk. ‘We have also started work on the Development Strategy for the Port of Gdańsk until 2060. Our goal is to become a sustainable port in the blue and green economy’.
Higher profits and a stable financial position
According to preliminary estimates, the Port of Gdańsk 2024 is expected to close the year with a financial result of approximately PLN 264 million, higher than that of 2023 by PLN 51.7 million (24%). The main determinants of this growth were higher year-on-year sales revenues of nearly 6% and lower costs, including a 3% reduction in the cost of sales.
‘The financial position of ZMPG S.A. has to be assessed as very good. Liquidity has been maintained at a stable, reasonable level. Net sales profitability is estimated at the level of nearly 49%, also higher than in the previous year’, said Alan Aleksandrowicz, Vice-President of the Port of Gdańsk for Finance and Security. ‘Taking into account the long-term perspective and the scale of investments planned for the coming years, the company’s financial condition is analysed on an ongoing basis, and the generated funds, in accordance with the Act on Ports and Harbours, are effectively invested for the development of the port, that is investments and repairs to port infrastructure’.
Image source: portgdansk.pl