DCT Gdansk Triggers New Ambitions For Poland

Press Release May 20, 2011

From the left: Jeff Gościniak, CEO Maersk Line Polska, Christian Pederson, Eivind Kolding, CEO Maersk Line, Peter Hildebrandt, AE10 String Manager, Maersk Line, Boris Wenzel, CEO DCT Gdansk, Lord MacDonald, Chairman Macquarie Europe, Lech Walesa, former President of Poland, Jedrzej Mierzewski, COO DCT Gdansk, Pawel Adamowicz, President of the City of Gdansk.

DCT Gdansk and Maersk Line have made a major step forward for the marine industry in Poland with the first regular E class vessels call to the Baltic Sea. In January 2010, Maersk and DCT started a revolution in the Baltic Sea by establishing a regular connection between the Far East and Gdansk served by 8,000 TEU vessels. With the upgrade to 15,500 TEU vessels - the largest in the world – the Baltic revolution is now in full swing.

The maiden call of mv Maersk Elba gave cause for a two-day event during which many VIPs congratulated Maersk and DCT.

“I am very happy that Gdansk can now really become hub port for all our neighbors that do not have access to the sea”, says Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of Poland. “I have been talking to those who are engaged in DCT Gdansk’s development and I have been convinced of the need of maximum coordination and concentration of efforts, also Government’s and Parliament’s efforts, to remove barriers that hinder many business ventures. Here, as through a lens, we can see what changes are required to compete with such giants as Hamburg, Rotterdam or St. Petersburg” adds Donald Tusk.

DCT Gdansk and Maersk Line introduced the first E class vessel mv Maersk Elba on 11th May, 2011.

“This truly is a very important day for Poland. Gdansk is a hub for Central and Eastern Europe and for Russia. We want to develop our business with our partners from DCT, because we understand that this region has a huge potential” says Eivind Kolding, Maersk Line CEO.

“Right now I think we cover the market quite well, but there are other trades than Asia – Europe and we will of course look at making other direct calls from other parts of the world to DCT when we have sufficient volumes ” adds Eivind Kolding.

Polish political figures are impressed with DCT’s development as well:

“What you are doing for Gdansk and for Poland is imposing” says Lech Walesa, former President of Poland. “We should do as much as we can to develop the whole region. It is not only about Poland, it is about Europe and countries that surround us” adds Lech Walesa.

Boris Wenzel, DCT CEO, did not hide his emotions.

“We are honored to cooperate with the largest shipping line in the world - Maersk Line. DCT has wide perspectives of development with its terminal and adjacent logistic center. AE 10 service with E class vessels constitute a great chance to develop Gdansk into a major European hub, which will allow Poland to become independent from Northern Europe ports, and itself become the gateway port for a number of other countries in the CEE. The main port for polish import and export is still Hamburg - now it is time to change this” says Boris Wenzel.

Mv Maersk Elba initiated weekly calls of E-class vessels to DCT and will be followed by mv Maersk Eubank and by mv Eleonora Maersk.

DCT Gdansk is a Polish registered company majority owned by GIF II (Global Infrastructure Fund II), a specialized fund managed by a member of the Macquarie Group of Companies, headquartered in Australia.

Its terminal offers year-round ice-free access with a 17.0m deep approach channel and up to 16.5m depth along the berth. DCT Gdansk is an ideal gateway to Poland as well as the transshipment hub for St. Petersburg and the rest of the Baltic region. The rail terminal, 2 x 1000m long and operated by DCT Gdansk, is adjacent to the marine facility.

DCT Gdansk offers the only direct container shipping connection from the Far East to Poland and the Baltic Sea.