The Naftoport terminal in the Port of Gdańsk is set to enter the next phase of its expansion, with shareholders approving the construction of a new sixth cargo handling station, ‘W’, aimed at boosting the terminal’s petroleum handling capacity. The project follows the issuance of a construction permit and includes a new quay, pipe flyovers, access roads, technical infrastructure, and environmental protection systems.

‘The strategic objective of the investment is to ensure the operational and business continuity of Naftoport, the long-term security of the company’s terminal operations and, consequently, to increase national energy security’, emphasises Daniel Betke, president of Naftoport. Due to its exclusivity in handling maritime crude oil deliveries, the Naftoport terminal is a key link in the proper functioning of the oil logistics and refinery production system. The construction of the “W” station is the next challenge our organisation has to face. I am convinced that with our joint efforts and professionalism, we can achieve the expected results’.

The ‘W’ station will be capable of accommodating the world’s largest tankers (VLCCs) over 300 metres long with a draught of up to 15–17 metres, adding an estimated 9 million tonnes per year to Naftoport’s operations. Once completed, the terminal’s annual capacity will rise to 49 million tonnes, reinforcing Gdańsk’s role as a key energy hub in Central and Eastern Europe.

‘When the liquid fuel base in the North Port – now Naftoport – was put into operation in July 1975, no one expected how much this infrastructure would grow. At that time, the introduction of tankers, known as Baltimaxes, to the North Port was a great achievement. Today, Naftoport is visited by the world’s largest tankers, with a tonnage three times higher than that of Baltimaxes’, notes Dorota Pyć, president of the Port of Gdańsk. ‘The “W” station will reinforce the role of the Port of Gdańsk as the region’s energy hub. It also fits in with the strategic objectives of NATO and the European Union in terms of key infrastructure development and energy independence’.

The expansion also strengthens Poland’s energy resilience by diversifying crude oil and liquid fuel supply routes and ensuring stable deliveries to refineries in Gdańsk, Płock, and eastern Germany. Construction is expected to run through the second half of 2028, with the general contractor contract planned for signing in November 2025.