Construction of the Marine Transhipment Terminal at Rafineria Gdańska is in full swing!

A terminal for the handling of marine vessels is being built on the quay next to Rafineria Gdańska, which will enable the transhipment of more than one million tonnes of products, including base oils, marine fuels and fuel bioadditives. Orlen Group signed the contract with the general contractor – consortium led by NDI Group – in January this year, and work is already clearly progressing. What has been done so far?

The investment project at Rafineria Gdańska involves the construction of an approximately 380-metre-long transhipment quay for the handling of seagoing vessels up to 130 metres long, with a draught of up to approx. 5.8 metres and width up to 17.6 metres. Two transhipment stations – each with four loading arms – will be built on the quay to handle tankers. Other structures to be constructed include buildings where the quay command centre will be located, pipelines, flyovers and underground and ancillary infrastructure that will connect the new terminal to the refinery. All works will be carried out by consortium consisting of companies from the Sopot-based NDI Group, which is the leader, as well as Biproraf, BPBM “PROJMORS” and Dipl. Ing. SCHERZER GmbH. As the general contractor for this task emphasises, intensive works are being carried out simultaneously on several fronts.

1,200 tonnes of walls already on site

“We started work on site in mid-January. At this point, we have completed more than 10,000 m2 of work platforms and more than 6,000 m2 of service roads. Moreover, we have completed over 50 percent of the scope related to sheet piling. We have also made the first CFA piles on the western platform,” reports Maciej Klecha, site manager for the NDI Group.

He also points out that the construction of the quay will be no less intense in the near future:

“In the coming weeks, we will commence work on the foundation of the quay based on full displacement bored piles (FDP). Concurrently, we will be carrying out installation of sheet piling, as we have already delivered 100 percent, i.e. over 1,200 tonnes, of the material needed for this,” adds Maciej Klecha.

The general contractor operates in a turnkey formula. It must carry out the design work, collect the necessary documentation and carry out all the construction and installation work in the hydraulic engineering, construction, building construction, sanitary, mechanical, electrical, automation, telecommunications and road sectors. Its responsibilities also include supplying all materials and equipment, carrying out all necessary tests and trials, and providing training for operational staff. In addition, the general contractor was optionally obliged to design, deliver and install the pneumatic support, measuring systems, metering of fire pumps and RMD pipelines if the Investor makes the relevant decisions.

Up to 2 million products per year

As the investor, the ORLEN Group, emphasises, the target transhipment capacity of the marine terminal located on the Martwa Wisła river might reach up to 2 million tonnes of products per year in the coming years.

The project will improve the profitability and safety of the supply of biocomponents for the production of fuels (biopetrol and biodiesel) and the transport of products (base oils and marine fuels) produced at the refinery in Gdańsk. The terminal will also relieve the burden on the rail siding operating at the facility, as this is the route currently used to transport products between the refinery and external transhipment points.

The Marine Oil Products Transhipment Terminal is being constructed on the southern shore of the Martwa Wisła, approximately 140 metres west of the existing quay, which is currently used for the unloading of large size apparatus components.

The general contractor has 24 months to complete it and 6 months to carry out all tests with the client.