Polish court rejects environmental appeals over Świnoujście container terminal

Wizualizacja terminala kontenerowego w Świnoujściu / fot. Ministerstwo Infrastruktury

The appeals were lodged by two organizations: Bürgerinitiative Lebensraum Vorpommern, a German NGO from the island of Usedom, and Zielone Wyspy Świnoujście, a Polish ecological group. Their objections focused on potential impacts on protected areas of the Baltic Sea, as well as risks from unexploded ordnance and chemical munitions dating back to World War II.

However, the court found no procedural violations or grounds to annul the decision.

- The GDOŚ conducted all required consultations, including cross-border processes, obtained the necessary expert opinions, and thoroughly addressed all objections raised in the appeals, said presiding judge Anita Wielopolska in the ruling's justification.

She also noted that the investor – the Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority (ZMPSiŚ) – had supplemented the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as requested, and the German NGO’s input was reflected in the final documentation.

Strategic project for the Baltic region

The container terminal in Świnoujście, part of the planned external port, is one of Poland’s largest maritime infrastructure projects. Scheduled for completion in 2029, it will be capable of handling transoceanic container vessels up to 400 meters long, positioning Świnoujście as a key logistics hub on the Baltic Sea.

Project highlights include:

• A 65-kilometre approach fairway dredged to 17 meters, developed by the Maritime Office in Szczecin,
• Berths capable of simultaneously accommodating two large container ships,
• Full supporting infrastructure, including rail, road, and utility links.

The investment, coordinated by the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure, is valued at approx. PLN 12.5 billion (€2.9 billion), with the terminal itself costing PLN 2.5 billion and the maritime infrastructure approximately PLN 10 billion. Construction is to be undertaken by a Qatari-Belgian consortium.

Legal proceedings continue

The February 2025 environmental decision issued by GDOŚ follows a complex administrative path. An earlier permit issued by the regional directorate (RDOŚ Szczecin) was overturned in 2023 following legal challenges. GDOŚ then took over the appeal process and required a revised and extended environmental report from the investor.

In parallel, the city of Świnoujście in 2024 filed a separate appeal against the terminal’s location permit issued by the West Pomeranian voivode. Moreover, Bürgerinitiative Lebensraum Vorpommern requested suspension of the environmental permit's enforcement. On July 21, the court temporarily granted this suspension, but the investor has appealed the decision.

Despite ongoing proceedings, the port authority remains committed to the project.

- This is an important milestone. The project will continue as planned. Construction will move forward, said ZMPSiŚ president Jarosław Siergiej following the hearing.

Government downplays safety concerns

Poland’s deputy infrastructure minister Arkadiusz Marchewka responded to claims raised by the German NGO regarding seabed hazards, including chemical weapons and munitions from WWII.

- The site has been fully surveyed. Should any ordnance be found, the Polish Navy will handle it professionally. The objections raised are, in our view, exaggerated and lack substantive basis, he said.

The Świnoujście deep-water container terminal is set to become a strategic gateway for transoceanic trade in the Baltic region. With the Warsaw court’s rejection of environmental appeals, the project has taken a significant step toward realization—bolstering Poland’s ambitions as a maritime logistics leader in Northern Europe.