Crucial phase in the construction of the Marine Transshipment Terminal has begun!

Intensive work is underway at the construction site of the Marine Transshipment Terminal at the Gdansk Refinery. Railings have been installed on the eastern part of the quay and on the communication decks. Reinforced concrete works for the entire project have been completed, as has the construction of a newly designed culvert on Sztutowska Street. What is planned for the next few weeks?

The project involves the construction of an approximately 380-metre-long transshipment quay capable of handling seagoing vessels up to 130 metres in length, with a draught of up to approximately 5.8 metres and a width of up to 17.6 metres. The work includes buildings to house the quay command centre, as well as pipelines, overpasses and underground and ancillary infrastructure to connect the new terminal to the refinery. Two transshipment stations – each with four loading arms – will be built on the quay to handle tankers.

Construction has now entered a decisive phase. The shell of the BZT building is almost complete. Construction work related to the pavement in the eastern part of the quay is underway, including the substructure and Yomb board layers. The reconstruction of Sztutowska Street is being continued, with the works completed so far including the removal of the existing road surface, the embankment in the western part of the street and the construction of a new culvert.

Work currently underway includes dredging, installation of steel structures, masonry work on the attic of the BZT building, and electrical and plumbing work.

How has work progressed over the winter?

“So far in the construction of the BZT building, we have concreted the ceiling over the ground floor section. We have also completed the brickwork for the load-bearing walls. On the quays, we have performed the finishing works – mainly the installation of the railings on the communication decks, the backfilling works, but also the installation of the hydrotechnical equipment. Reinforced concrete works have been completed throughout the investment,” says Maciej Klecha, NDI Group Site Manager.

Construction is taking place in many places at the same time. Railings and linear drainage are being installed on the quay. The foundations for the future surface are being laid. The next step will be the construction of the steel structures, as well as concrete and cobblestone pavements. In the BZT building, reinforcement of the ceiling on level +1 is underway, while inside the walls are being sanded and thinly insulated. In the coming months, the team plans to start installing door and window frames, electrical equipment, the façade and cabling.

Heavy equipment has arrived

“Modern machinery is at work on the site. One of the largest excavators, weighing around 110 tonnes, is being used for dredging. The excavation work is being carried out 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to take full advantage of the favourable weather conditions. Meanwhile, testing of the loading arms is being completed at the prefabrication plants. Installation of the loading arms on the quay is planned for this summer,” reports Maciej Klecha.

If everything goes according to plan, the team will be able to start commissioning the terminal. Construction is expected to be completed by the beginning of 2025. The investor is the ORLEN Group. The project is implemented by a consortium of companies from the Sopot-based NDI Group. The terminal will enable the transshipment of over one million tonnes of products, including base oils and marine fuels. It will also relieve the branch line operating at the site, which currently handles the transport of products between the refinery and external transshipment points. The general contractor operates in a turnkey formula.