Petition

According to the general principles contained in the Regulation 1315/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013, the TEN-T core network should provide the basis for the development of a sustainable multimodal transport network and stimulate the development of the entire comprehensive network, and the Commission should take into account national implementation plans and future extensions when reviewing the implementation of the core network until 2023. In addition, Section 6 of this document indicates as a requirement for intermodal transport infrastructure, for non-mass cargos, annual transshipments of 800 000 tonnes.

In the document „Analysis of development options for the Intermodal Terminal in Bydgoszcz-Emilianowo”, prepared in accordance with the guidelines of the Centre for EU Transport Projects (CUPT), based in Warsaw, under the supervision of PKP SA, reloading estimates were prepared for the Intermodal Terminal Bydgoszcz-Emilianowo, with a forecast handling in 2030 at the level of 93.6 thousand TEU and over 124 thousand TEU in 2031. Assuming the ratio of 1 TEU = 12 tons, this will allow to reach the level of over 1.1 million tons of handling in 2030 and nearly 1.5 million tons in 2031. It should be noted, that these are only preliminary estimates, as higher transshipments are possible, for example from sea ports in Gdańsk and Gdynia.

From the point of view of the role of sea ports in Gdansk and Gdynia, the Bydgoszcz node is expected to play a strategic role in the TEN-T Baltic-Adriatic corridor, contributing to the growing importance of the role of intermodal transport in this part of Europe. The strategic role of Bydgoszcz is also evidenced by the fact that the draft revision of the TEN-T network of 14 December 2021 envisaged the inclusion in the core network of railway line No. 201, which directly connects the seaports in Gdansk and Gdynia with the Bydgoszcz – Emilianowo terminal. The building of the terminal was included by the Polish government in the National Reconstruction Programme under the Next Generation EU (NGEU) funds.

The government’s draft „National Shipping Programme to 2030” points directly to the strategic location of the Bydgoszcz Logistics Node (which, according to the Development Strategy of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship until 2030, will include the intermodal terminal Bydgoszcz – Emilianowo, as a dry port based on rail and road transport, and the multimodal platform Bydgoszcz – Solec Kujawski based on water, road, rail and air transport) indicating also the future potential of inland waterways: „The node, located in the Bydgoszcz-Toruń agglomeration, is characterised by its strategic location, ensuring the handling of cargo in relations between seaports in Gdańsk and Gdynia and the main agglomerations of the country – Łódź, Warsaw, Poznań, using all branches of transport – road, rail and inland waterway”.

It should also be pointed out that Bydgoszcz, in the light of the Polish government’s plans, is to play the role of a major centre for the distribution of farm produce by container, which demonstrates its strategic importance for logistics in the European Union.

The need to build a large intermodal terminal near Bydgoszcz has been discussed for a long time, the key moment was the signing on 17 September 2019 of an agreement of intent on the construction of the terminal between: PKP S.A., Port of Gdynia Authority, PKP Cargo S.A., Bydgoszcz Industrial and Technological Park, National Agricultural Support Centre, Nowa Wieś Wielka district. Then, on 28 July 2020, the National Agricultural Support Centre (KOWR) established the special purpose company Terminal Intermodalny Bydgoszcz-Emilianowo spółka z o.o. On 10 February 2021, the President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection gave consent for the concentration to take place and for further shareholders to join the company: PKP S.A. and Bydgoski Park Przemysłowo-Technologiczny. The Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship is also interested in taking up shares. Since autumn 2020, work has been carried out in order to obtain an environmental decision. The opening of the terminal is planned for 2027.

With these considerations in mind, it should be emphasized that the Bydgoszcz Logistics Node will play a strategic role in the Baltic-Adriatic corridor. Also, transhipment forecasts indicate the fulfilment of requirements for this type of infrastructure in the period foreseen for the implementation of the Trans-European Transport Network. Thus, it is fully justified to place Bydgoszcz as a road-rail node of the TEN-T core network.