Orlen opens strategic marine terminal on Martwa Wisła River in Gdańsk, Poland

Photo: Orlen

Orlen announced Aug. 5 that it has opened a marine transshipment terminal at its Gdańsk refinery in Poland, marking the completion of one of the group’s key logistics projects.

The facility enables refinery products and feedstocks to be transferred directly between the refinery and tankers, eliminating the need for intermediate transport.

Designed to handle more than 1.8 million metric tons of cargo annually, the terminal has already received its first vessels, which loaded marine gasoil (MGO) from the refinery and delivered fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) for use in biofuel production.

The project also has a strong Polish component, having been delivered largely by domestic companies.

“The Orlen marine transshipment terminal on the Martwa Wisła River in Gdańsk is a strategically important project that will enhance the security and efficiency of Poland’s fuel logistics,” said Ireneusz Fąfara, president of the Orlen management board. “It shortens the supply chain, increases the operational flexibility of the Gdańsk refinery and strengthens our operational independence. We are particularly pleased that Polish companies played a leading role in delivering such an advanced facility. It demonstrates that Polish businesses are capable of delivering strategically important projects to the highest technological and organizational standards.”

The new terminal features a 380-meter quay with two identical berths and can handle two vessels at the same time.

Each berth can accommodate a vessel of up to 10,000 deadweight tonnage (DWT), with a maximum length of 130 meters, beam of 17.6 meters and draught of 5.8 meters, and is fitted with four automated, bidirectional marine loading arms operating at 10 bar, with a transfer capacity of up to 500 cubic meters (132,086 gallons) per hour.

The terminal will handle exports of Group I and Group II base oils, used among other applications in the production of engine and hydraulic oils; low-sulfur marine gasoil, used in vessels’ main engines and auxiliary machinery; and xylene, used as a solvent in the chemical industry.

It will also handle imports of FAME and used cooking oil methyl esters (UCOME), ethanol, and MTBE and ETBE, additives used to increase the octane rating of gasoline.

In its first year of operation, the Orlen marine transshipment terminal on the Martwa Wisła River in Gdańsk is expected to handle around 100 vessels and approximately half a million tons of products.

The new facility will reduce logistics costs, increase supply flexibility, lessen reliance on road and rail transport and reduce dependence on external port facilities in Gdańsk and Gdynia.

Its ultimate annual throughput capacity could reach approximately 1.8 million to 2 million tons of products.

The project cost nearly USD$134.2 million.