Hinterland transport services of the Ports of Szczecin and Świnoujście – a comparative analysis

Seaports are important points in international supply chains. As hubs for several transport sectors, seaports are an essential element of transport corridors. Over the years, the types of cargo moving through the ports in Szczecin and Świnoujście have changed significantly. In the last two decades, the largest transhipments were typically coal, grain and other bulk cargoes; this is reflected in the share of total hinterland shipments transported by different transport methods. In 2005, more than 2/3 of the cargoes delivered to and from the ports of Szczecin and Świnoujście were transported by rail. Rail transport continued to account for the leading share of hinterland transport until 2011, when road transport started to dominate (46.3% of cargo carried by rail and 47.50% by trucks). This is indicative of a correlation between the type of cargo and its mode of hinterland transport. With an increase in general cargo transhipments, the share of shipments travelling to and from the ports by road transport has increased. In turn, the fall in coal shipments is reflected in rail transport’s share decreasing. In 2005, 3.8% of coal was transported by roads and 80% by rail. In the following years, despite the decrease in the share of global transhipments accounted for by coal, road transport’s use for coal transport increased. This indicates that the type of cargo is not the only factor influencing the relative contributions of different modes of transport to hinterland travel.