The Norweskie, Czeskie and Duńskie Quays - despite the winter, intensive works are being carried out everywhere there, thanks to which the port in Szczecin will become more accessible also to larger vessels. Good news comes from the construction - the planned works have already been completed in over 54 percent.

The investment in the Port of Szczecin is gigantic. A new Norweskie quay is to be built, which is an extension of the line of the already existing Fińskie quay, which today serves as a container terminal. It is also planned to reconstruct the existing Czeskie and Słowackie quays, together with the modernization of the technical infrastructure in the immediate hinterland of the quays. In addition, the head plate Duńskie Quay is to be built, with a length of approx. 770 meters, which will protect the shore of Ostrów Grabowski and will extend the line of the Norweskie quay in the future.

But it doesn't end there. The Dębicki Canal will be widened from 120 meters to 200 meters and deepened to a technical depth of 12.5 meters.

The investor for this ambitious task is the Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority SA, while the general contractor of the consortium of NDI Sp. z o. o. and NDI SOPOT S.A., which is already implementing such hydrotechnical challenges as, for example, digging through the Vistula Spit and expanding the Duńskie and Indyjskie Quays in the Port of Gdynia.

Winter crosses the lines

- In this case, time is the biggest challenge for us, which is why we carry out works on all fronts at the same time - says Irena Filipek, Works Manager from the NDI Group.

And he calculates that when it comes to reinforced concrete works, more than 52 percent of the structure of the Czeskie Quay (applies to Stage I with a length of 316.5 m), 44 percent of the Norweskie Quay and 72 percent of the Dauńskie Quay. And it is worth adding that when the weather was unfavorable, some works had to be postponed - for example, concreting cannot be carried out at sub-zero temperatures, so this type of work had to be suspended.

– We are also constantly carrying out work related to the construction of embankments on Ostrów Mieleński Island. We have made 205 out of 292 containers, which is 70.21 percent progress - adds Irena Filipek.

So far, piling works have also been carried out related to the driving of a combined wall from the water side, piles have been driven from the land side and anchors have been made on the Czeskie Quay at a length of 316.5 meters. In turn, on the Norweskie Quay, piling works related to the driving of sheet piles were carried out, micro-pile anchors and CFA piles were made along the entire length of the quay, and the storage yard was strengthened. In addition, on the Duńskie Quay, piling works were carried out related to the driving of sheet piles of the sheet piling and micropile anchors were made along a length of 770 meters, i.e. on the entire quay.

Moreover, the entire fender line on the Fińskie Quay was also replaced. The entire working platform for the embankments along the entire length on the island of Ostrów Mieleński has been completed and embankments are being built. To date, more than 70 percent of this type of work has been completed.

The great equipment is on the move

In order for the works to run quickly and efficiently, the general contractor uses the most modern equipment, e.g. pile driver, vibratory hammers, bolting machines, haulers, dredgers, piling machines, as well as pontoons and pushers. As he emphasizes, although a huge range of investments has already been completed, there are still many important tasks to be done.

– In the near future, we plan to resume dredging works consisting in deepening the Dębicki Canal. We will also continue reinforced concrete works on the quays, continue to build embankments on the island of Ostrów Mieleński, and build a crane track and a railway track on the Czeskie quay - says Piotr Arabczyk, Project Director from the NDI Group.

The investment is one of the flagship projects implemented by Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority in the port of Szczecin. It aims to improve access to the port of Szczecin in the area of the Dębicki Canal. Currently, the Czeskie and Słowackie quays are the most intensively used general cargo quays there, and the modernization will ensure that their parameters are adjusted to handle the largest ships.

The project is co-financed by the European Union from the Cohesion Fund under the Operational Program Infrastructure and Environment. The gross cost is approx. PLN 343.1 million.