1) Read the text and answer the questions.

The Port of Gdańsk handled 53.2 million tons of goods in 2021, an 11% increase and the most
cargo handled in the history of the port.
The Ministry of Infrastructure held a conference in January attended by ministers, Marek
Gróbarczyk and Grzegorz Witkowski, and the management boards of the three largest Polish
ports: Gdańsk, Szczecin-Świnoujście and Gdynia.
In his opening speech, Gróbarczyk, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Infrastructure, said
such a strong result had never been achieved before in the case of cargo handling at a Polish
port.
“This shows the strong position of our ports. This record result is proof that we have coped
with the effects of the pandemic very well. Let us not forget that the pandemic is still ongoing
and many economies are continuing to suffer,” he said.
“In terms of the economics of port development, in terms of exports, imports and, above all,
the opening up of freight, we can boast a 9% increase year-on-year. 113 million tonnes
clearly places us at a very high level in terms of cargo handling at ports. If we take a
historical perspective, we can see enormous growth dynamics. From 2008 to the present
day, we have had a 116% increase in cargo handling,” he went on.
The deputy minister also pointed to the fact that until 2008, Poland had not been included in
the rankings for container handling and today handles over 3 million TEU of containers.
“It is a huge success. The DCT terminal in Gdansk is currently the largest container port on
the Baltic Sea. I am convinced that the ongoing investments in port infrastructure worth
nearly PLN 7 billion will bring further growth in the coming years. We cannot stop here, we are
striving to increase the amount of cargo handled and build a huge hub, first of all by
associating all of the alliances that were previously located outside of Poland, so that the
largest container ships arrive here,” said the deputy minister.
Witkowski, undersecretary of state in the Ministry of Infrastructure, added that investments in
infrastructure prove that synergy effects have been achieved.
“We all wanted to achieve the same result. We will not spare funds for maritime economy,
because every penny invested in ports, shipyards, and infrastructure returns a hundredfold.
These results are the best example,” he said.
In the Port of Gdańsk in 2021, a total of 53.2 million tons of goods were handled, up 11% year-
on-year.
“This is the best result in our history We managed to beat the record from 2019, when we
handled 52 million tons”, said Łukasz Greinke, CEO of the Port of Gdańsk at the conference.
“The port never sleeps. Although the investments were in full swing, the operators still carried
out the handling. The result we achieved last year pleases us, but it does not satisfy us. We
have high aspirations, we want to be one of the biggest ports in Europe and we are interested
in a place in the top ten. So far, we have moved up to 18th position in Europe. We are still on
the Baltic podium – 3rd in total cargo handling. I am convinced that our further investments,
which we will be implementing very soon, will bring the Port of Gdańsk new volumes. Within
two to three years, instead of five, we will have six, and in the next five years – seven,’ Greinke
said.
1. How much cargo did the Port of Gdańsk handle in 2021?
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2. Who attended the conference held by the Ministry of Infrastructure in
January?
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3. What was highlighted as a significant achievement in terms of cargo handling
at Polish ports?
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4. What percentage increase in cargo handling has been seen from 2008 to the
present day?
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5. How many TEU of containers does Poland currently handle?
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6. What investments are being made in port infrastructure in Gdańsk?
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7. What are the aspirations of the Port of Gdańsk in terms of its ranking among
European ports?
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