On December 11, 2023, a meeting of the Council of the National Chamber of Maritime Economy was held at the headquarters of Stena Line Polska. The main topics addressed at the meeting were: customs clearance in Polish ports (at the request of the Pomeranian Branch of the KIGM Council), the “Red Road” project, and the establishment of a Port Customs Practices Commission. Invited guests participated in the meeting: representatives of PISIL- Mr. Marek Tarczyński and Ms. Kamila Piotrowska-Król- and the Director of the Centre for Maritime Economy Research, Prof. Dorota Pyć.
Customs clearance
Regarding customs clearance in Polish ports, attention was drawn to the alarmingly increasing processing times and the resulting negative impact on port terminal operations- particularly container terminals- and on cooperation with maritime carriers. This situation stems from the fact that experienced customs officers are taking early retirement while still in their prime; new recruits replacing them require training- a process taking approximately 2-3 years that also consumes the time of experienced staff who must pass on their knowledge and expertise. All this is occurring against a backdrop of expanding duties for customs officers, such as the increased verification of export containers.
As noted during the meeting, official calculations indicate that VAT revenue and customs operations in ports contribute approximately PLN 58 billion to the state budget. Hiring just 10 additional customs officers across the Tricity ports- beyond current staffing levels- could significantly improve operational efficiency (with 10 being the absolute minimum required). The cost of such hiring would be around PLN 1 million- a negligible amount compared to the aforementioned revenues. Yet, funds for this purpose are unavailable.
It must be borne in mind that this sector- one of the most dynamically developing areas of the industry port sector (where container handling volume has grown by approximately 200% over the last decade) may face a problem that could lead to a diversion of container traffic away from Polish ports. It is also worth noting that the upcoming EU Customs Code is expected to further limit the time containers can be held in storage yards. Given the shortage of qualified customs personnel—staff who were previously held up as a model of improved and streamlined service operations at Polish ports- the expansion or construction of new container terminals could be jeopardized.
Consequently, the KIGM Council, together with PISIL and other interested organizations, has decided to submit a formal request to the Ministry of Finance. The letter urges the Ministry to address the issue of staffing levels for customs officers at Polish ports and to take measures ensuring their efficient operation.
The “Red Road” (Droga Czerwona)
In November of this year, a meeting was held with Gdynia residents and other stakeholders interested in the construction of the “Red Road.” The meeting was organized by the GDDKiA (General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways) and Mostostal Katowice- the company responsible for the project under a contract signed on October 22, 2022.
Out of the 20 million PLN allocated to the GDDKiA, 8 million PLN was used to complete the design for the road section connecting the Tricity Bypass with the Kwiatkowski Interchange. A traffic study for the remaining two sections—running from the Kwiatkowski Interchange to the Ofiar Grudnia ’70 Interchange, and continuing to the Karlskrona Roundabout (Ferry Terminal Interchange)- is scheduled for completion in the third quarter of 2024.
Port Customs Commission.
By resolution of the KIGM Council of September this year. the Port Customs Commission was established. On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the publication of the “Collection of practices and principles of cooperation of port trade participants”, it was stated that the Collection should be updated, and therefore experts interested in this topic were invited to work on this document. The following people expressed their willingness to participate in the work: the Port Management Boards of Gdynia, Gdańsk, Szczecin and Świnoujście, the Port Stakeholders Councils of Gdynia, Szczecin and Świnoujście, the Polish Chamber of Forwarding and Logistics, the Association of Small Sea Ports, the Maritime Offices of Gdynia and Szczecin, as well as lawyers related to the industry and recommended by the above-mentioned companies. company organizations such as Polish PCS, GCT, DB Port Szczecin. The first organizational meeting of the Commission is planned for December 2023
Prepared by KIGM