METRANS, a subsidiary of HHLA, has completed a major expansion of its terminal in Gądki, near the city of Poznań, Poland. This project included the installation of two remote-controlled rail gantry cranes, the addition and enhancement of tracks, as well as the expansion of storage and service areas. The maximum storage capacity has increased from 8,850 TEU to 11,800 TEU, and the annual loading capacity has increased by nearly 80%, reaching approximately 590,000 TEU.
Details of the Gądki Terminal Expansion
The Gądki terminal is recognized as an important hub in the METRANS international network, connecting the Polish market to major economic centers in Europe. With a real GDP growth of 3.6% projected for 2025, Poland has become one of the fastest-growing economies in the European Union. Recently, the country's GDP has reached approximately €923 billion, making Poland the sixth-largest economy in the EU.
New Equipment and Technologies
During the expansion project, two new gantry cranes with a width of 80 meters have been deployed to carry out loading and unloading operations between transport methods. This project includes the construction of a crane track with power supply and a remote control station, as well as two additional tracks. The three existing tracks have also been extended to over 750 meters in length, allowing the Gądki terminal to manage even the longest freight trains.
To facilitate the simultaneous expansion of storage, loading, and transport areas, 53,000 square meters of operational areas have been newly asphalted. Modern camera systems now support loading operations and automatically identify containers upon their arrival at the terminal. These systems also record the status of containers upon delivery by rail or road. Technical equipment includes a rail weighing bridge to monitor axle loads and a container weighing system.
The project "Increasing the Efficiency of International Transport Services through the Expansion of METRANS Terminal Infrastructure (Polonia) sp. z o.o. in Gądki near Poznań" has been financed in cooperation with Poland's National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
The METRANS European network (view map) extends from the North Sea and the Baltic Sea to the Adriatic Sea and the Black Sea, and is continuously developing. METRANS serves terminals in 15 European countries and has transported a total of 1.6 million TEU by 2025.
