Transactions on the Built Environment vol 42, © 1999 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509

Transit operations in Port Szczecin Swinoujscie Dr Grazyna Rosa Faculty Transport, University of Szczecin, ul Cukrowa #, 71-004 Szczecin, Poland, 7%ow f 48 py; ^ 22 7 J2, fbx ^& 97^ ^8 77 776, Email: [email protected]

Abstract Port Szczecin - Swinoujscie thanks to its favourable geographical location, good railway and road connections with many industrial centres of Central and Southern Europe and especially convenient land network is a very important transit centre. However, traditional hinterland of the ports threatens keen competition of other ports, mainly German Therefore marketing strategy and investment policy if the port shall focus on maintaining existing and obtaining new, regular cargo flows. Major advantage of Port Szczecin - Swinoujscie in aspect of transit operations is, except above mentioned favourable geographical location in corridor NorthSouth: • good transport infrastructure connecting port with transit hinterland i.e. motorways, railways and land water transport, • potential assuring fast, high quality operations on general and bulk cargoes in land-sea relations, • forwarding companies co-operating with port many years have specialised in service on transit cargoes, • many years experience in mutual co-operation of both transit customers and port, • worked out and verified transit routes. Planned undertakings, vigorous marketing, active presence on the international market combined with a very favourable location allow to

Transactions on the Built Environment vol 42, © 1999 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509

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Marine Technology

optimistically expect the strengthening of the role of the Szczecin - Swinoujscie Port complex as the largest centre of sea transit on the Baltic 1. Introduction The location of Szczecin and Swinoujscie for years has determined their functions, directions and opportunities of economic growth, particularly at the land-sea boundary. The strategic position of the Odra mouth ports at the region of criss-crossing transport routes from Scandinavia to Southern and Western Europe, and from East to West, gave rise to the largest port complex on the Baltic. Another important advantage is the vicinity of the European Union border and the fact that the big Berlin conurbation is just at hand. Also essential is the most favourable location in relation to the Poland's largest industrial centre in Silesia. ,,The geographical advantage has been confirmed in the past few years. Thanks to improving economy and active marketing of the Szczecin - Swinoujscie Port Authority total throughput in both harbours is increasing. The location is only one trump in hand. Another is a good railway net- work linking Szczecin - Swinoujscie, via the Odra main trunk line, with business centres in Western and Southern Europe. For instance, Berlin is 135 km from Szczecin, Prague - 537 km, Vienna -740 km, Bratislava - 770 km, Kosice - 884 km"