Port of Gdańsk with double-digit growth in cargo throughput in Q1 2026
It has been a very successful start to the year for the Port of Gdańsk. In Q1 2026, the total volume of cargo handled reached 20.9 million tonnes, representing an increase of 13.6% compared to the same period in 2025. These results confirm the strong growth of cargo throughput and the reinforcing of the port’s position as a key transhipment hub and transport node in the Baltic Sea region.
Liquid fuels account for the largest share, as much as 47.7% of the total volume of cargo handled at the Port of Gdańsk. In the first quarter of 2026, nearly 10 million tonnes were handled, an increase of 7% compared to the first quarter of the previous year. The growth dynamics in this segment measurably translates into a reinforcing of the strategic importance of the Port of Gdańsk for the energy security of Pomerania and the whole country.
“The Port of Gdańsk’s performance for the first quarter of 2026 confirms the port’s resilience, pragmatically built through the implementation of well-planned and well-considered investments. In conditions of continuing geopolitical tensions, unpredictable changes in international maritime trade and supply chains, affecting raw material security, the Port of Gdańsk remains a key transhipment hub and transport node, guaranteeing the stability of supplies and security,” said Dorota Pyć, President of Port of Gdańsk Authority SA.
General cargo continues on a strong upward trend, with throughput increasing by 15.7% to over 7.2 million tonnes. This segment accounts for 34.6% of the total throughput. The situation is even better in the area of containerised general cargo. In the first quarter of 2026, 761,896 TEUs were handled, an increase of 22%. In tonnage terms, container throughput increased by 17.2%, exceeding 6.5 million tonnes.
“A significant growth in general cargo throughput, including record growth in the container segment, is a clear sign of an increasingly robust economic activity and the resilience of the Polish economy to global disruptions. At a time when global trade is experiencing significant turbulence due to armed conflicts, sanctions, and unpredictable shifts in trade policy, the consistently high cargo volumes handled at the Port of Gdańsk reflect stable domestic demand, the development of export activity, and the port’s role as a key link in meeting the real needs of Polish businesses and the wider socio-economic environment”, said Dorota Pyć.
Due to the long and cold winter, which contributed to increased energy demand, the coal segment recorded strong growth. In the first quarter of 2026, it increased by 70% compared to the same period of the previous year, reaching nearly 2 million tonnes. Record growth was recorded in ore throughput, with an increase of 111%, indicating increasing activity in the heavy and metallurgical industries. The high growth rate also applies to timber (+89%) and grains (+21%), confirming the port’s growing role in handling agri-food exports.
In the first quarter, declines were recorded in the other bulk cargo (-11%) and ro-ro (-29.6%) segments. The number of passengers travelling by ferry also decreased (by 20.8%), which can be attributed to seasonal factors and changes in the road-sea transport mix.
The figures for the first quarter of 2026 confirm that the Port of Gdańsk is developing effectively and sustainably, and is responding flexibly to changing market conditions. Growth in key segments – especially in fuel and containers – shows that the Port of Gdańsk is not only maintaining its position, but also consistently strengthening it.
If current trends continue, 2026 could prove to be another record-breaking year for the Port of Gdańsk.
“It is necessary to be cautious in the estimates and follow a pragmatic approach, bearing in mind that the key results occur after three quarters of a given year. It is only in October or November that we will be able to better estimate where we are in terms of the implementation of the annual plan. I analyse the results of throughput on a daily basis, in fact, and it is already clear that there is some real chance of breaking the record”, said CEO Dorota Pyć.
