“Cape Pomerania” vs the terminal in Świnoujście. Which port will reinforce Poland’s Baltic presence?

The construction of a new deep-water port in Świnoujście is more than just infrastructure and money. It is a decision that will define for decades whether Poland will be an independent player on the Baltic Sea or merely a logistical back-office for German ports.

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04 november 2025   |   18:55   |   Source: Gazeta Morska   |   Prepared by: Kamil Kusier   |   Print

minister Arkadiusz Marchewka podczas prezentacji projektu Przylądek Pomerania / fot. Ministerstwo Infrastruktury

Originally, in Świnoujście the plan was for a container terminal realised by the consortium DEME Group–QTerminals, which committed to both construction and financing. That project, however, did not come to fruition: the investor failed to meet the contract conditions and its contractual deadlines expired. In this situation, the government announced the “Cape Pomerania” – a new, ambitious external port built entirely by Polish entities, aimed at becoming a strategic container-hub and a symbol of Poland’s maritime independence.

A new chapter in Polish port history

Cape Pomerania will cover 186 hectares of new reclaimed land, nearly 3 km of quay with breakwater, an approach channel and port basin with a depth of 17 metres. The central element will be a deep-water container terminal with 1.3 km of quay and a throughput capacity of 2 million TEU per year — designed for the largest ocean-going containerships calling the Baltic. The terminal will also be equipped for civil-military uses, enhancing the country’s logistic and defence capabilities.

As underscored by Deputy Infrastructure Minister Arkadiusz Marchewka, this is “the most ambitious project in the 75-year history of the Zarząd Morskich Portów Szczecin–Świnoujście and one of the most spectacular investments on the Baltic”. The new port is expected to strengthen Poland’s role as a node in global supply chains and create an alternative Western transport corridor for Central Europe — anchored in the ports of Szczecin–Świnoujście, the S3 expressway, the E-59 railway line and the Odra Waterway.

The scope of construction includes not only the terminal itself: 70 km of channel deepening, a new port basin, land transport links (road and rail) to the terminal, water/sewer and IT infrastructure, buildings for border-guard, customs and sanitary services. Zero-emission technologies will be used, including shore-to-ship power to reduce emissions and noise.

Contract broken and the political minefield

The story of the new terminal in Świnoujście begins with the investment by the DEME–QTerminals consortium. The contract envisaged financing and construction of a deep-water container terminal of similar scale and capacity to what is planned for Cape Pomerania. But the project failed — the investor did not meet the contractual requirements, the special-purpose vehicle established for the project had only ~300,000 PLN in capital and was a virtual office in Szczecin. The contract term expired on 31 October 2025, prompting ZMPSiŚ to take over the investment and build the port on its own.

This decision met with harsh political criticism. Former minister Marek Gróbarczyk accuses the government of “throwing the project into the trash” and misleading Poles with grand declarations about Cape Pomerania, suggesting the investment is primarily political rather than substantive. Similarly, Member of Parliament Kacper Płażyński points out that the new project differs little from the previous one, and the loss of an investor means there is no longer a lessee who would finance the terminal and integrate it into the global logistics system. Płażyński further warns of new delays and the risk of uncertainty regarding the future terminal operator once construction is finished.

ZMPSiŚ, however, responds with detailed reasoning: the decision to build the port independently stems from sound economic and strategic analyses. According to the Board, the original project was mis-managed, and its assumptions were partially incompatible with environmental requirements — for example, the consortium applied for a quay depth of 14.5 m, which would have ruled out the largest container vessels. Independent construction of Cape Pomerania enables Poland to control the investment, ensure full compliance with technical and environmental standards, and prepare the terminal for the largest ocean vessels and dual civil-military use.

Thus the political dispute intersects economic and strategic challenges. On one side we have voices of criticism, fears of delays and lack of an investor; on the other side, a measured argument from ZMPSiŚ that independent implementation is both feasible and strategically justified. This is exactly where Poland’s Baltic presence is at stake: whether it will keep control of its port, or become dependent on foreign players and their political interests.

Is Cape Pomerania a new project or just a rebranding?

Some voices argue that Cape Pomerania is merely a re-branding of the earlier terminal project by the DEME–QTerminals consortium. Indeed, some technical assumptions remain similar: the terminal is to receive the largest container ships permissible on the Baltic, and the approach channel is to be deepened to 17 metres over 70 km length.

The difference lies in the financing and control model. In the original project, a foreign operator was intended not only to build the terminal but also to operate it, bringing in its own capital and ensuring steady income from handling fees. In reality, the consortium failed to meet these conditions, leaving ZMPSiŚ without a genuine partner and without guaranteed revenues.

Independent delivery of Cape Pomerania by Polish entities means full state control over the project. The cost of the portion handled by ZMPSiŚ is around PLN 1.5 billion, and the state budget has earmarked another PLN 7 billion for channel-deepening, port basin and land infrastructure (rail and road). Although this model requires greater public investment and involves higher risk of delays, it provides Poland unmistakable strategic control and the opportunity to prepare the terminal for both military and civilian uses without constraints imposed by an external investor.

Experts also note that while the project itself is technically feasible — land reclamation of large areas and port infrastructure build-out are within reach — the key problem is the loss of the terminal operator who would integrate the facility into global logistics and guarantee flow of goods. Płażyński calls this risk a “game on uncertain operator terms”, and Gróbarczyk terms it “throwing the project into the trash”.

As a result, Cape Pomerania is simultaneously a continuation of earlier technical assumptions and a radical break with the foreign-investor model. It provides Poland with a chance at full port sovereignty, but demands consistent management, political stability and certainty as to the terminal operator once the facility is built.

Strategic dimension: Poland vs German sphere of influence

The building of Cape Pomerania is not just an infrastructure investment — it is also a decision about Poland’s position in the Baltic region and in global supply chains. Until now, the largest Baltic ports — such as Hamburg, Rostock or Lübeck — have dominated container traffic in Central Europe. Poland has largely been their hinterland, and German port influence has played a key role in shaping regional trade.

Cape Pomerania offers the chance to change that power balance. The terminal has potential to become a hub for intercontinental container transport as well as for the hinterland of Central Europe — Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria and Hungary. This means that Poland could control its own transport corridor instead of being dependent on German ports and operators.

It is no secret, however, that such an initiative meets resistance and scrutiny abroad. German ports have experience, capital and an established position in supply-chains, and in practice they may influence competition via lobbying, environmental issues or procedural delays that slow down new ports in the region. Experts emphasise that Poland must not only build the terminal, but ensure its effective integration into the global logistics system so that the facility does not become a “empty quay” without an operator and traffic flows.

Simultaneously the investment has strategic defence dimension. A terminal designed for both civilian and military use enhances the country’s logistic and defence capacities, which in the context of the Baltic Sea and NATO is a significant asset. As Arkadiusz Marchewka points out: “Thanks to this investment the security of our country and Poland’s maritime presence will be strengthened.”

In this context, Cape Pomerania is more than a port — it is an instrument of sovereignty that enables Poland to decide its own maritime development path and protect its interests in a region heavily influenced by German ports and capital. At the same time, it requires disciplined management, political consistency and clear decisions on the future terminal operator.

Technical and organisational challenges

The construction of Cape Pomerania is a massive engineering, logistical and organisational challenge. The new external port covers 186 ha of reclaimed land, nearly 3 km of quay with breakwater, a 70 km approach channel and port basin with depth of 17 m. The terminal will be capable of simultaneously servicing three vessels — two at 400 m length and one at 250 m length — placing it among the largest Baltic ports.

On the land side the project includes a new rail system of over 3 km with a siding direct to the terminal, a 2 km road layout, and full water-sewer, IT and sanitary infrastructure. Key transport nodes — the S3 expressway and E-59 railway line — will link the port to the region’s transport network.

The technical challenges go hand in hand with environmental issues. The terminal aims to be the most ecological port on the Baltic — planned are zero-emission technologies including shore-to-ship power to reduce emissions and noise. Construction also requires careful management of land reclamation and channel deepening so as not to disturb the ecosystem of the Pomeranian Bay.

Independent delivery of the investment by Polish entities increases the burden on the state. The absence of a foreign investor means that all financial, logistic and technical risks rest on ZMPSiŚ and the state budget. At the same time there is the challenge of the future terminal operator — the port must be integrated into global logistics to generate revenue and fulfil its strategic role.

Experts point out that despite technical feasibility, success requires political stability, consistent implementation and certainty that the infrastructure will be fully utilised. Any delay or absence of a terminal operator could reduce investment effectiveness and slow Poland’s maritime advancement.

Between ambition and responsibility

Cape Pomerania is a singular investment in every respect — technical, economic and strategic. It presents Poland with a chance to regain real presence on the Baltic Sea, but also demands maturity in decision-making and consistency in executing plans.

The political quarrels around the terminal — the criticism from Gróbarczyk and Płażyński — show that the project operates in a deeply polarised context. ZMPSiŚ emphasises however that the decision to build independently is based on careful economic and strategic analysis. Autonomy in financing and control over the investment is not just a prestige question, but a matter of national security — both economically and militarily.

The challenges are real: absence of a private terminal operator, necessity of integrating the port with global logistics, complex land and water infrastructure and environmental constraints. Each of these requires precise planning and political stability. Yet the stakes are higher than mere infrastructure — the real question is whether Poland can think and act strategically — for its citizens, its economy and its position in the region. If Poland stumbles, the Baltic will once again become someone else’s sea. If it succeeds, Poland will show that it can defend its interests and develop strategic infrastructure independently of foreign pressures.

Cape Pomerania is not just concrete and steel. It is Poland’s attempt to reclaim real maritime presence.

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Przylądek Pomerania port w Świnoujściu terminal kontenerowy gospodarka morska ministerstwo infrastruktury

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