Issue 78

S. Majer et alii, Fracture and Structural Integrity, 78 (2026) 504-518; DOI: 10.3221/IGF-ESIS.78.29

C HARACTERISTICS OF THE S ZCZECIN – Ś WINOUJ Ś CIE P ORT COMPLEX

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he Ports of Szczecin and Ś winouj ś cie form one of the largest and most important port complexes in the Baltic Sea region. Owing to their complementary functions and strategic location along the Baltic–Adriatic Transport Corridor, the ports play a significant role in international trade, industrial logistics, and the development of offshore wind energy infrastructure in Poland [5]. The Port of Ś winouj ś cie is located directly on the Baltic Sea and provides unrestricted access for deep-sea vessels. It is the largest dry bulk cargo terminal in Poland and one of the largest ferry terminals in the Baltic region. In addition to conventional cargo operations, the port accommodates a naval base and a dedicated installation terminal supporting the construction of offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea [5]. The port is currently undergoing significant expansion associated with offshore wind logistics and energy-related infrastructure. The Port of Szczecin is situated approximately 65 km inland and is connected to Ś winouj ś cie through a navigable waterway. The transit time between the two ports is approximately four hours, allowing both ports to operate as a complementary and integrated port complex. Szczecin functions as a universal multipurpose port handling a wide variety of cargo types, including bulk materials, containers, Ro-Ro cargo, general cargo, and oversized project cargo. The port also serves as an important logistics centre for industrial investments located in north-western Poland [5]. The importance of the Szczecin– Ś winouj ś cie port complex has increased considerably in recent years due to the rapid development of the offshore wind energy sector. Several major investments associated with the manufacturing, assembly, storage, and transportation of offshore wind farm components have been initiated within the port area. These include facilities dedicated to the production and assembly of wind turbine nacelles, storage yards for oversized components, and installation terminals supporting offshore construction activities. Particularly important investments include the Vestas nacelle assembly facility located on the site of the former ST3 Offshore plant in Szczecin, the Windar Renovables tower manufacturing plant currently under development on Ostrów Grabowski, and the offshore wind installation terminal in Ś winouj ś cie. These facilities are expected to substantially increase the demand for heavy-duty logistics yards and specialized transport infrastructure capable of supporting extremely high operational loads [6-8].

Figure 2: Strategic location of the Ports of Szczecin and Ś winouj ś cie within the Baltic–Adriatic Transport Corridor. Source: adapted from the European Commission TEN-T Core Network Corridor map.

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