The new port will transform Świnoujście. The city will become more industrial, less resort-like.

• The report presents arguments for and against the construction of a deepwater container terminal in Świnoujście.
• The former refer to economic growth, the latter indicate the disruption of the rhythm of life of residents and the burden of industrial infrastructure on the tourist city.
• The first shovel of earth is expected to be broken on the construction site of a service road that will support the construction of the terminal and the development of its surroundings later this year.

In September 2024, the City Council appointed a Program Council with a team of experts to analyze and assess the effects of building a deepwater container terminal in the outer port of Świnoujście .

The report was commissioned by a team of economic advisors from the TOR. The material is now publicly available. It describes the situation and presents recommendations.

The city will be different. Less resort-like, more industrial.

The report, which is an annex to the resolution, is a meticulous analysis of over 230 pages prepared by economists, planners, engineers, ecologists, and urban planners. Authors include Maciej Mysona, Maria Zych-Lewandowska, and Julian Politt, as well as consultants with impressive experience, including inland navigation captain Czesław Julian Szarek and commander Mirosław Tuliszka.

In the opinion of the Świnoujście City Hall, this list of names ensures that the report is not an academic fantasy, but can serve as a decision-making tool. This is important because, according to officials, the construction of the terminal will significantly impact the city and its residents .

" The city will be different. Less resort-like, more industrial. Less accessible to pedestrians and cyclists, more accessible to trucks and trains," we read in a press release from City Hall.

The plan calls for the construction of a deepwater container terminal on a pier (an artificial peninsula) to the east of Świnoujście's current port infrastructure, with two quays and a transshipment capacity of 2 million TEU. It is expected to open in 2029 or 2030.

According to the city hall, the strongest criticisms contained in the analysis concern the investor's communication . The report's Program Council openly points to the lack of access to basic documents, such as the feasibility study and actual transshipment data.

The city of Świnoujście had no insight into the basis for investment decisions. Like residents, public consultations were symbolic, and the information policy of the Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaport Authority was "extremely different" from that pursued by, for example, the terminal in Gdańsk.

Among the arguments in favor is the potential to become one of the most important container ports in Central and Eastern Europe. The terminal could revitalize the economy of the West Pomeranian region of Poland , attracting not only cargo flows from the south of the continent but also investment capital.

There are also arguments against it. According to the report's authors, the planned investment could seriously disrupt the city's urban layout and rhythm of life. Particular concern was given to the Warszów district, which, according to forecasts, will bear the highest social costs. They also point to the possibility of a decline in the tourist attractiveness of both Świnoujście and neighboring Międzyzdroje .

First recommendation: act with respect for all stakeholders

The report's list of recommendations includes 39 items . It is a set of proposed actions that Świnoujście authorities, in cooperation with other entities, can take to deepen their own and public knowledge of the construction plans and operational assumptions for the deepwater container terminal.

"It should also be noted that ultimately some activities may, or even should, involve cooperation or expressing demands towards central entities , such as the relevant ministries," the report noted.

The first recommendation calls for action by local governments and other stakeholders to ensure that the entire process of construction, commissioning, and subsequent smooth operation of the deepwater container terminal in Świnoujście proceeds in accordance with and respects the interests of all interested parties . Key among these actions should be public consultations, public debate, and a new information portal, through which the flow of information and the ability to express opinions will be open to all interested parties.

It is also recommended to ask the Prime Minister to appoint an inter-ministerial team whose task will be to optimize the impact of the terminal on the economy of the region and the interested municipalities.

It is also important to take action to determine the plans for expanding the external port (a universal terminal and/or expansion of the deepwater container terminal to include quays T3 and T4, and/or other, currently unknown plans) and to develop a coherent position on this matter for Świnoujście and Międzyzdroje. The report also recommends including the deepwater terminal in the municipality's strategic documents.

The first shovel will be driven into the ground this year.

The environmental decision , crucial for the construction of the deepwater container terminal in Świnoujście , was issued in October 2023 and received final status in February 2025, but has not yet become final.

The investor also successfully concluded legal proceedings concerning the location decision issued by the West Pomeranian Voivode. In May 2024, the city of Świnoujście appealed against the decision. The case was brought to the Provincial Administrative Court in Warsaw last fall, but the court dismissed the local government's appeal.

Recently, the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure responsible for maritime affairs, Arkadiusz Marchewka , announced that the first shovel of earth will be broken on the construction site of the service road that will support the construction of the terminal and the development of its surroundings this year .