The first quarter of 2025 has revealed interesting trends for Poland’s major Baltic Sea ports, with Gdynia and Gdańsk both demonstrating resilience amid changing trade patterns. While overall tonnage showed slight declines, both ports recorded impressive growth in container handling, highlighting a strategic shift toward higher-value cargo.

Port of Gdynia: Structural Change Toward Container Traffic

Port of Gdynia began 2025 with significant growth in key cargo segments. During Q1, general cargo increased by 16.6% year-over-year, while container traffic surged by 26.5% in TEU terms (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units). March results were even more impressive, with growth of 21.2% and 39.5% respectively compared to March 2024.

The total cargo volume reached 6.31 million tons, representing a slight 2.6% decrease year-over-year. This decline is primarily attributed to lower volumes of coal and grain, which are returning to pre-pandemic trends after extraordinary growth during 2022-2024.

General cargo remains the largest category at 4.28 million tons in Q1, showing growth across all segments. Ferry and ro-ro (roll-on/roll-off) operations increased by 8.07% in Q1, with March alone seeing nearly 16% growth compared to the previous year.

Container operations achieved a record start to the year with 278,432 TEUs handled in the first quarter—over 25% better than the previous year. In tonnage terms, container cargo grew by 22.5%. March saw an exceptional 39.5% year-over-year increase in container throughput.

This strong performance can be attributed to the development of new shipping services, including the Lakeway Link (launched in 2024), MSC’s Britannia service (2025), and the Gemini Cooperation (2025). Remarkably, these growth figures were achieved despite ongoing infrastructure work, with the first phase of modernization at Helskie Quay completed in March.

Grain handling decreased by 33.7%, while coal and coke fell by 32.4%. Both commodities were heavily handled during 2022-2024 due to geopolitical disruptions in supply chains, but are now returning to pre-Ukraine war trends. Oil and petroleum products also saw a 15% decline.

„We’re witnessing a structural change: fewer bulk cargoes and more general cargo, including containers, which require greater precision and higher-quality infrastructure. This confirms that our chosen direction meets real market needs,” says Adam Hoppe, Director of Strategy and Market Analysis at Port of Gdynia.

Port of Gdańsk: Container Growth Despite Overall Volume Challenges

The Port of Gdańsk reported similar trends for Q1 2025. While total cargo volume reached 18.4 million tons—a modest 2% decrease compared to the same period in 2024—the port achieved a remarkable 17% increase in container throughput.

Additionally, Gdańsk recorded an extraordinary 580% year-over-year increase in metal ore handling. According to the Port of Gdańsk Authority, this represents a significant achievement considering the period of global economic turbulence and instability in maritime trade. The surge in metal ore imports may indicate the continuing strong potential of Poland’s metallurgical industry, despite the burdens associated with EU climate policy.