External port in Gdynia another time with a postponed term

On 28 November, the authorities of Gdynia Port announced another postponement of the deadline for submitting tenders for the construction of the External Port – this time until 30 June 2026. This is another signal that the investment, which was to establish a new direction for the development of navigation in Gdynia, stopped again.

The industry reacted immediately. Ironically, the comments on "the tradition that is being satisfied" only cover a more serious problem: we are talking about a project that was supposed to respond to the growing freight traffic and the increasing competition from Gdańsk.

Official explanations of Gdynia Port – documentation update and global player in the background

Board of the Maritime Port of Gdynia explains the postponement of the deadline explicitly: this is the result of updating the tender documentation and numerous formal questions from interested parties. The changes proved to be significant enough that one of the tenderers requested additional time to adapt the bid to the new requirements.

The Communication also stresses that one of the participants talks with a global port operator with significant investment potential. The presence of such an entity would increase the credibility of the project internationally and could increase the competitiveness of the proceeding. At this stage, however, it is not known whether the global player will actually make an offer or whether it will later be recommended.

The role and importance of the External Port in Gdynia

External Port was to reverse adverse trends and restore Gdynia's ability to operate the largest commercial units. Work on the project formally started in 2018, three years later the port boasted four willing to build and operation of the new terminal. Today, at the end of 2025, we have had seven years since the start of the preparations and nearly four years since the proposals were submitted, but the investment is still at the stage of the extended PPP procedure.

The project was designed to respond to three key challenges:

• responding to the dynamic development of container shipping and the need to increase transhipment capacity;
• securing permanent port capacity in growing trading conditions;
• maintaining competitiveness towards Gdańsk, which, thanks to the deep-water terminals, took over the role of the port of the first collapse in the Baltic.

Today, in the port environment, there is a growing concern that the project becomes a symbol of the investment drift, which can hit not only terminal operators but also the entire national system logistics. Each subsequent year of delay represents a real risk of loss of market position of Gdynia, which has been built consistently for decades.

External Port Gdynia – does the investment still make sense in the shadow of Central Port Gdańsk?

The discussion on the legitimacy of the External Port has been taking on new dynamics in recent months. The Central Port in Gdańsk is growing consistently, it attracts the attention of global operators and really changes the layout of forces in the Baltic. Gdynia, burdened with successive shifts, loses its pace.

The External Port was to be a defense project – a way to maintain the existing position and the ability to operate the largest container ships. The Central Port is an offensive investment: the road to the European top, the port of first choice for carriers operating in the Baltic Sea region.

The summary of both projects only highlights the difference in ambition. Gdynia is fighting to stop the tide of shipowners. Gdansk is building a new order. The question that is increasingly being asked today is clear: is the External Port a real chance, or is it a project from another era?

Spatial restrictions of Gdynia – why does the External Port require decisions, not further deadlines?

Gdynia has been operating in an extremely tight spatial system for years. The port, surrounded by urban buildings and railway infrastructure, has no possibility of natural expansion. It was from this necessity that the idea of the External Port was born – the only way to increase the operating area and operate ships with a large immersion.

The pirate itself at sea, however, will not solve all the problems. The investment requires coordinated decisions on road and rail access, including the construction of the Red Road and the expansion of the track system. Without this, even the most modern terminal can become a narrow throat instead of a developmental impulse.

Today's delays seem to lack a clear direction: there is no stable financial installation, complete environmental decisions, or decision whether the project is strategic or commercial. The schedule is increasingly like a list of expectations instead of a real plan.

Therefore, the industry is asking openly: can Gdynia afford another delay if it wants to retain its importance in the Baltic?