The China International Logistics and Transportation Fair in Shenzhen is one of the biggest events for the logistics and transport industry in Asia. The Port of Gdansk Authority has already participated three times, PGA says in a press release.
Currently the most rapidly developing port in Europe, Gdansk is attracting a lot of interest from representatives of the maritime industry all over the world. This is why during discussions and conversations at the Asian fair, considerable emphasis was put on investment. "The Chinese market is closely following the developments here. We have been talking about the modernisation of the transport network, the expansion of the port's infrastructure, and activities aimed at the growth of inland navigation," says Marcin Osowski, Vice-President of the Board for Infrastructure at the PGA.
The topic which is drawing the most attention is the construction of the Central Port - the progress of the work to date, the planned logistics and infrastructure solutions, the throughput capacity, and forms of financing the project.
"The Central Port investment is arousing huge interest on a global scale, as the project itself is globally on the highest level. We are already talking to the largest operators, including those from China," explains Marcin Osowski.
Seaport digitalisation within the PSC (Port Community System) platform was also an important aspect for the participants of the debates. As one of the leading ports in the Baltic Sea, the Port of Gdansk is striving toward the implementation of the new systems. During the fair, the Port of Gdansk signed a declaration on cooperation with the world's largest ports (Antwerp, Barcelona, Riga, Hamburg, Halifax, Indonesia, Rotterdam, Sri Lanka, Valencia, Zeebrugge, and Shenzhen) concerning data exchange, promotion and the use of new technologies, as well as the establishment of port alliances.
Not only the PGA, but also its business partners - Adampol, Premco and Speed - made an appearance under the aegis of the Port of Gdansk. The Port of Gdansk's motto during this year's fair was "Success and Growth". It was a reference to the record transshipments in the first half of 2018.
"The Port is developing rapidly and so are we. We see huge potential and opportunities in the automotive sector. We will soon have the new Polnocne Quay intended for Ro-Ro cargo, then the Central Port as well. The Chinese are interested in cooperation in this respect. The Port of Gdansk is a brand in itself and we are very happy that the Port Authority gives us the opportunity to participate in domestic and international events. This not only enhances our position as an enterprise, but also shows the world that we stick together and work jointly towards success," comments Lukasz Szutenberg, Development Manager at Adampol, which specialises in the transshipment of commercial vehicles at the Port of Gdansk.
The eastern directions are also important to Premco: "We deal with broadly defined logistics, which includes not only the transshipment of containers, but also issues related to customs clearances and vehicle transport of the handled goods. We have a really good offer for our business partners from China and the fair is the perfect opportunity to talk about it directly with Asian business people," says Piotr Muszynski, President of Premco.
Speed, offering loose material logistics, also sees a chance of winning customers from among the Chinese. "The Port of Gdansk Authority planned very strong marketing activities during the fair in Shenzhen and successfully carried out all of them. Aware of the huge interest that the stand of the Port of Gdansk might attract, we decided to present our logistics offer and the concept behind the bulk cargo terminal we are building. The response we evoked from potential partners reinforces our belief that we do have a competitive offer and the Port of Gdansk is the right place to develop our business activity," says Andrzej Grubalski, Commercial Director at Speed.
The cooperation between China and the Port of Gdansk is intensifying each year. The strong market position is complemented by innovative projects and investments. "Expansion into Asian markets is a necessity. We do not intend to miss this moment and this is why as soon as next month, we are opening the Port of Gdansk's first business office abroad, in Shanghai," says Patryk Felmet, Marketing and Communications Director at the PGA.