An investment of a billion euros is going to (nearly) double the capacity of Euroterminal Sławków. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk attended the signing of an initial agreement, signalling that Poland is taking its future position in logistics rather seriously.
The first investment, for which the agreement was signed, consists of 180 million Polish złoty (42,38 million euros). In the early stage, Poland will build a second intermodal terminal with seven tracks. Euroterminal Sławków will also get modern transshipment equipment to handle intermodal container traffic.
Those measures should speed up the transport of freight from Ukraine and Asia to Europe, the Polish infrastructure ministry says. It is looking to finalise the initial stage of the project by 2027, but there is more on the way. Subsequent phases of development will amount to a total investment of one billion euros. Overall, capacity at the Euroterminal should then grow from 285,000 TEU to 530,000 TEU annually – nearly doubling.
Euroterminal Sławków
The terminal is a strategic logistics facility, says PKP Cargo, that specialises in the transshipment of:
- Energy resources (coal, iron ore);
- Bulk goods (construction materials, steel, fertilisers);
- Intermodal containers (electronics, textiles, food).
The terminal also cooperates with the ports in Gdańsk and Gdynia to enable efficient sea-rail transport.
A historic opportunity
Commenting on the investment, Prime Minister Tusk focuses on the big picture: “The expansion of Euroterminal Sławków is a historic opportunity for Poland – we will create the largest logistics hub in Europe, which will become a key link in trade between the East and the West”, he says.
“By maintaining Polish control over this strategic project and investments implemented by, among others, the Industrial Development Agency, we will ensure Poland a strong position in the reconstruction of Ukraine and global supply chains. This is not only the development of industry, but also a golden interest for our economy”, Tusk added. “I can say without exaggeration that here in Sławków, in Silesia, in Poland, we will have the largest logistics hub of this type in Europe.”
Traffic to Ukraine
Whereas the Polish infrastructure ministry has highlighted growing capacity for incoming traffic from Ukraine and Asia, Euroterminal Sławków is also set to play a vital role in transport to Ukraine in the future, as Tusk mentioned. That is because the terminal is located at the far end of Poland’s only broad gauge railway. It connects the Euroterminal to Ukraine without the need for gauge transfers – boosting logistics efficiency. What’s more, post-war reconstruction efforts will likely cause a surge in logistics needs towards Ukraine.
Despite those prospects, the terminals’ main asset remains traffic along a different axis: transport between the Mediterranean and the Baltic. “This particular direction – connecting the Mediterranean with the Baltic – is today more important even for Sławków than the east-west direction, in terms of the amount of cargo passing through Sławków”, explained Tusk. “So Italy, the countries on the Adriatic and, of course, on the other side the Baltic Hub. In other words, two large sea windows to the world, and in the middle [there is the] the land heart, Sławków.”
Poland explicitly mentions future EU-Ukraine traffic as a reason for the Euroterminal Sławków expansion. At the same time, on the other side of the border, shipping giant MSC is investing in four Ukrainian intermodal terminals. The “historic” deal also signals confidence in a future traffic surge, according to a local expert.
PKP Cargo abandons terminal
Earlier, PKP Cargo announced its intention to sell its shares in Euroterminal Sławków. The company currently holds a 9.31% stake, valued at 4 million euros. The sale is part of a push by PKP Cargo’s management to simplify the company’s structure and improve its ability to manage complex logistics projects.