Baltic Container Terminal expands quay to handle 400-meter ships

 
The Baltic Container Terminal (BCT) in Gdynia, Poland—wholly owned by Philippine-based International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI)—has completed the first phase of a quay expansion, enabling the terminal to handle vessels up to 400 meters in length.

Expanded in coordination with the Port of Gdynia Authority, Phase 1 included 400 meters of new quay wall with a depth of 15.5 meters, along with 1,171 meters of crane rails, upgraded hydrotechnical structures, access roads and utility systems. The USD42 million project was delivered on schedule.

Starting September 2025, BCT will accommodate vessels up to 400 meters long and with a draft of up to 14.7 meters, using 100 meters of additional quay from Phase 2 and an expanded turning basin.

“This marks a significant step in expanding our capacity,” said Wojciech Szymulewicz, BCT chief executive officer. “Phase 2 will further enhance our ability to serve larger vessels and increase throughput.”

Phase 2, scheduled for completion in the third quarter of 2026, will involve the reconstruction of additional quay sections, new crane tracks, heavy-duty surfacing and updated utilities. The total investment for both phases is projected to exceed USD84 million.

BCT also plans to install two to four super post Panamax quay cranes, which are expected to raise annual berth handling capacity to between 1.2 million and 1.6 million TEUs depending on final configuration.

In October, BCT will roll out the Navis N4 Terminal Operating System, which will support a truck appointment system and reconfigured automated gates. The platform will also enable optimization tools such as Prime Route for internal container movements and Expert Decking for smart stacking and retrieval.

The Port of Gdynia Authority is preparing to launch a tender in the third quarter of 2025 for a new internal road that will connect Helskie Quay to a nine-hectare storage yard. The project is expected to be completed in 2026.

BCT has also seen gains from the recent upgrade of the Gdynia Port Rail Station, which has reduced congestion and improved rail transit times. In 2024, rail accounted for 17 percent of the terminal’s volume, or nearly 100,000 TEUs. Total throughput reached 560,000 TEUs for the year.

Hans Ole-Madsen, ICTSI Europe, Middle East and Africa region head, said Phase 2 will follow quickly after the completion of Phase 1: “These investments position BCT and the Port of Gdynia to grow across deep-sea, short-sea, and feeder services, while strengthening operational efficiency and supporting long-term sustainability.”

The terminal already handles MSC’s Britannia Service, which connects Asia and Northern Europe and began calling BCT in April with the arrival of the 15,500-TEU MSC Rose.

BCT also serves MSC’s weekly Ecuador–Northwest Continent and Scanbaltic–USA service, with vessels ranging from 4,100 to 8,800 TEUs and equipped with up to 1,300 reefer plugs.

Source: BCT thinks big by Mike Munday, Port Strategy, June 6, 2025.