Szczecin-Świnoujście port reduced iron ore transshipment by 59% y/y in the first half of 2023

In January-June 2023, the port complex of Poland Szczecin-Świnoujście reduced the transshipment of iron ore by 59.1% compared to the same period in 2022 – to 650.6 thousand tons. This is evidenced by data on the enterprise’s website.

In June 2023, the port processed 92.2 thousand tons of iron ore, which is 74.5% less compared to June 2022.

In general, over the first half of 2023, the port complex increased cargo transshipment by 3.5% compared to January-June 2022 – up to 18.1 million tons. In June, transshipment volumes decreased by 8.2% y/y – to 2.95 million tons.

Among the main cargoes, the port handled during the first half of 2023:

• coal – 1.85 mln t (+60% y/y);
• cereals – 1.2 mln t (+45.3% y/y);
• gas – 2.21 mmt (+10.6% y/y).

Container handling by the port in January-June 2023 amounted to 36.8 thousand TEU (+4.8% y/y).

As GMK Center reported earlier, in 2022, Szczecin-Świnoujście increased transshipment of iron ore by 11.4% compared to 2021  – up to 2.11 million tons. In December, iron ore processing decreased by 67.4% y/y – to 57.1 thousand tons. In total, the port complex increased cargo transshipment by 10.8% y/y over the year – up to 36.8 million tons.

Since the beginning of the war, Ukrainian steelmakers have completely directed the export of products to Europe by rail. The blockade of the ports left for the Ukrainian steel sector only this direction of product shipment, which is several times more expensive, and the product delivery time is much longer.

At the end of May, the Polish port of Swinoujscie sent the first batch with 30 thousand tons of Ukrainian iron ore. The raw materials were delivered to the port by rail and sent to the customer in Algeria. At that time, there were more than 50,000 tons of Ukrainian iron ore on the port berths.

Also, Ukrainian Railways in June 2023 increased export transportation of iron ore by 3.8% compared to the previous month and reduced by 7.4% compared to June 2022 –  up to 1.43 million tons.