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In the last week of August, in the presence of the Minister of Infrastructure and the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Infrastructure, a contract for the construction of the MOLF offshore structure was signed. This specialised structure will be part of the infrastructure accompanying the construction of Poland’s first nuclear power plant.

What is MOLF?

It is a special structure designed for the offloading of oversize and oversize cargo that cannot be split into smaller pieces. MOLF is an abbreviation for Marine Off-Loading Facility.

What does the scope of the signed agreement cover?

The scope of the signed contract includes the design of a bridge for the unloading of indivisible oversize cargo required for the construction and operation of the nuclear power plant. The project also includes a section of technical road to allow further transport of the transshipped cargo.

The contractor for the project documentation is a consortium of WUPROHYD Sp. z o.o. and INGEO Sp. z o.o., and they have 14 months to prepare the complete documentation.

Summary

This is undoubtedly an essential investment, needed to build the first nuclear power plant in Poland. It is an investment of strategic importance, of great significance for the future of our country, energy stability, defence and the climate.

Poland is becoming an increasingly important player in the global cosmetics trade, exporting more and more cosmetics to foreign markets. Poland’s share of world GDP is about 1 per cent, while its share of world cosmetics exports is 3.8 per cent.

Polish products are increasingly recognised

Cosmetic products from Poland are gaining increasing recognition thanks to their high quality, innovation and competitive prices. Poland is an increasingly popular location for production facilities of companies from all over the world. This provides an opportunity to utilise the potential and knowledge of Polish specialists. This, in turn, is increasingly contributing to Poland’s growing importance as an exporter.

The commodity structure of cosmetics exports is similar in most countries around the world. However, there are some minor but important differences due to specialisation and advantages in the production of selected commodities.

How do we stack up against European competition?

Poland is the fifth largest exporter of cosmetics in the European Union with a share of 8 per cent. As much as 65 per cent of the cosmetics exported from Poland go to the EU market. The ratio of exports to imports of cosmetics in Poland in 2023 was 1.72. This means that the value of exports was 72 per cent higher than the value of imports.

What do we export?

Skin care preparations are the dominant category, accounting for 47 per cent of cosmetics exports worldwide. For Poland, this category accounts for 43 per cent and is also the largest part of exports.

Since Poland’s accession to the European Union, cosmetics exports have increased 8-fold and GDP 3.6-fold. The average annual growth rate of cosmetics exports has been very high – since 2004, it has been close to 12 per cent. In the last ten years, the rate has been over 9 per cent.

From the winter flight schedule, the carrier plans to allocate one of its four Airbus A321 freighters to serve the Polish market. Flights will take place on the Frankfurt-Warsaw or Frankfurt-Katowice route, which will enable faster transport of goods to and from Poland. This is a groundbreaking change, because previously the carrier transported all air freight from Poland to German airports by road.
The decision on the choice of the airport to which the planes will fly will be made in the coming weeks, but there are many indications that Katowice may become the main destination airport due to the crowding of the Warsaw airport and restrictions on night flights and noise.

Each time the plane will be able to take on board 25 tons of cargo.

This year, PIP will carry out over 60,000 control. Among transport companies, he will especially check the compliance of remuneration payments and working hours. This is an area where a significant number of violations occur. The legality of employment of foreigners will also be verified. What inspections should companies in the TSL industry be prepared for?

Transport is a disgraceful leader

The National Labor Inspectorate announced that it would carry out 2,000 inspections. They will concern regulations regarding working time, remuneration and other benefits resulting from the employment relationship. According to previous inspections carried out by the National Labor Inspectorate, violations in this area are among the most frequently violated regulations. Warehouse management and transport are the areas that take the lead in terms of the number of complaints regarding violations in the area of working time and payment of wages.

Driving and rest time will also be part of the control

The Road Transport Inspectorate will take a closer look at issues related to the correctness of access to entrepreneurs’ bases or to drivers’ places of residence. The driver can drive the vehicle for a maximum of half a day. But only if you take appropriate breaks from driving to reach the place where you will take your weekly rest.

New tachograph – what to pay attention to?

First of all, drivers need to acquire new skills in operating recording devices due to their upcoming replacement with new generation tachographs. However, installers and users of tachographs notice a number of problems resulting from the early stage of development of the new technology.

The issue of legality of employment of foreigners

The aim of the actions taken is also to eliminate illegal workers. Inspectors will pay special attention to verifying the legality of employment of people from areas of high migration risk, such as North Africa or Asia.

PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A. has signed a contract with Nokia Solutions and Networks sp. z o.o., a company that is one of the leading suppliers of equipment for the GSM-R system. Under the terms of the contract, the necessary software upgrades and reconfiguration of the radio network will be carried out to integrate it with the new automatic telephone exchange provided for in the framework of the national GSM-R network implementation project.

What is GSM-R?

The GSM-R system is based on the basic GSM system. However, it has been enhanced with functions required for the operation and maintenance of railway infrastructure and train traffic management. The system also allows for optimised train flow and trains can reach higher speeds. This means shorter journey times for passengers.

Efforts to develop GSM-R systems will lead to the expansion of the network coverage and allow for progress towards standardisation.

The first visible result of the work will be the launch of GSM-R voice communications on the railway line connecting Warsaw with the Tricity, which is scheduled for the third quarter of next year. This type of operation involves testing and monitoring the new system in real-world conditions to gather experience and ensure its safest possible implementation. This will allow us to test a number of operational scenarios in which GSM-R communications will be used for communication. The system being implemented will allow communication between PLK SA traffic managers and drivers who operate the operators‘ trains, as well as between PLK SA employees and operators’ employees.

The experience gained will influence the final form of the instructions and rules adopted by PLK SA and the operators. Once the observed operation is completed, voice communications in the GSM-R network will be available for use on the remaining railway lines covered by the project.

It is estimated that the project will take about 13 months to complete.

Today, our customs agency faced an unusual challenge: for one of our clients, a Polish distributor of Airbus helicopters, we performed customs clearance outside the EU for the export of the H130 helicopter.

To carry out this operation, it was necessary to obtain several documents from the Civil Aviation Authority: an airworthiness certificate, an export airworthiness certificate and a certificate of removal from the Civil Aircraft Register. This was not the first helicopter in the hands of our customs agency, so the whole procedure went extremely quickly and efficiently.

The helicopter will be delivered by road transport to Luxembourg and from there transported by air to Mexico.

EU introduces new sanctions on Belarus – what changes await Polish carriers?

The Council of the European Union has announced new sanctions related to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. This time they hit Belarus directly because of its increasing involvement in the conflict on Europe’s eastern border. The new regulations primarily affect the transport of selected categories of goods to and from Belarus. They also introduce restrictions on the vehicles that can carry out these transports.

New rules on transport and technology

The extended sanctions include a ban on exports of dual-use products and technologies, as well as advanced goods that could support Belarus’ industrial potential. In addition, further export restrictions have been imposed on goods that could particularly contribute to the country’s industrial sector.

Import restrictions and ban on trailers

The sanctions also include a ban on the import of certain products, such as marine navigation components, mineral products and oil, from Belarus. In addition, the new rules introduce a ban on the transport of goods from Belarus to the EU using trailers and semi-trailers registered in Belarus. Transport companies with a share of at least 25% of Belarusian capital will not be allowed to operate in the EU.

Penalties for breaching sanctions – imprisonment and heavy fines

Carriers need to familiarise themselves carefully with the new regulations in order to avoid serious legal consequences, including financial penalties and imprisonment, for breaching the current rules.

EU Council Regulation – latest changes to sanctions

The changes were introduced by Council Regulation (EU) No 2024/1865, which updates the earlier Regulation (EC) No 765/2006. This is a key document for Polish hauliers as it contains the full catalogue of newly introduced sanctions for Belarus. In addition to the EU regulations, Polish operators are also bound by national sanctions regulations.

The new sanctions package came into force on 1 July 2024, introducing significant changes. They could significantly affect the operations of transport and export companies.

In June 2024, the railways carried nearly 19 million tonnes of freight, an increase of 4.8 per cent compared to June last year. This is equivalent to an additional 0.9 million tonnes of freight transported.

Transport work performed by the railways in June exceeded 5.1 billion tonne-kilometres, an increase of more than 4% year-on-year, or 0.2 billion tonne-kilometres more. The average distance carried per tonne of freight was over 270 kilometres, a slight decrease of less than 2 kilometres compared to June 2023.

Increases seen on a monthly basis

Compared to May, June was better in terms of the weight of freight carried, which increased by 1.5%. Goods train work also increased by around 0.6%. However, the work in service decreased slightly by 0.1 million train-kilometres, and the average distance carried per tonne of freight also decreased by more than 2 kilometres.

Rail services in the first half of 2024

In the first half of 2024, goods trains transported more than 110 million tonnes of goods. Freight work exceeded 29.3 billion tonne-kilometres and operational work reached almost 40.7 million train-kilometres. Compared to the same period in 2023, this is a decrease of 4.6 million tonnes of freight transported, a decrease of 4%.

Positive outlook for the near future

The last two years have been challenging for rail freight, as evidenced by the results for the first half of 2024. June this year saw a significant increase in rail freight. Despite some challenges, the rail sector is showing signs of stabilisation and growth. Rail freight data has been published by the Rail Transport Authority.

Аеропорт Катовіце-Пижовіце зараз переживає фазу динамічного розвитку та інвестицій в інфраструктуру з метою підвищення його пропускної здатності та надання нових функціональних можливостей, тим самим підвищуючи привабливість Сілезького воєводства в очах інвесторів. 24 липня адміністрація аеропорту підписала контракт з підрядником на будівництво мультимодального вантажного та паливного вузла. Інвестиційний план аеропорту Катовіце на 2024-2028 роки також передбачає розширення всіх сфер діяльності аеропорту – пасажирської, обслуговування повітряних суден та вантажної.

Будівництво нового головного пасажирського терміналу

Згідно з прогнозами Управління цивільної авіації, аеропорт Катовіце увійде до невеликої групи з трьох польських регіональних аеропортів, які до 2040 року перевищать межу в 10 мільйонів пасажирів на рік. Тому стало зрозуміло, що існуючі три пасажирські термінали не зможуть комфортно обслуговувати таку кількість користувачів, тому буде побудовано новий термінал площею 49 000 квадратних метрів. Цей сучасний об’єкт буде обладнаний рукавами і буде з’єднаний тунелем із залізничною станцією аеропорту Пижовіце.

Нова схема доріг

Нова дорожня розв’язка буде побудована перед головним пасажирським терміналом і складатиметься з нової зони входу і виходу, внутрішніх доріг і зони kiss fly.

Мультимодальний трансферний центр

Планується створення пересадочного вузла для зручного пересаджування з одного виду транспорту на інший

Розширення автостоянок

Аеропорт збільшить кількість паркувальних місць з приблизно 5 500 до приблизно 13 500, в тому числі у вигляді багатоповерхового паркінгу на 1 500 місць. Багатоповерховий паркінг буде з’єднаний з головним терміналом через скляний пірс.

Перевантажувальний вузол

На базі залізничної під’їзної колії буде створено вузол для завантаження та розвантаження товарів і палива. Основним елементом вузла буде залізничний розвантажувальний фронт для завантаження і розвантаження товарів і палива, до якого примикатимуть три резервуари місткістю 1 000 м³ кожен і дві розвантажувальні площадки для автоцистерн.

Новий вантажний термінал

Плани розширення аеропорту Катовіце також передбачають будівництво другого вантажного терміналу для збільшення пропускної здатності аеропорту. Він буде обладнаний найсучаснішими системами сортування та зберігання, що дозволить обробляти вантажі швидше та ефективніше.

Дорога інвестиція

Загальна вартість інвестиційної програми аеропорту Катовіце на період 2024-2028 рр. становить близько 1,5 млрд злотих, з яких будівництво головного пасажирського терміналу коштує близько 950 млн злотих. Це свідчить про масштабність та амбітність проекту, метою якого є розширення та модернізація інфраструктури аеропорту для задоволення зростаючих потреб авіаперевезень та підвищення комфорту і безпеки пасажирів.

Last week, German unions went on strike at the terminals in Hamburg, protests were taken up by port workers in Wilhelmshaven and Bremerhaven. Despite the fact that several days have passed since the protests, their effects are still being felt now. The strike ended after 48 hours, and it will take about a week to decongest the resulting congestion. Strikes in the logistics industry are a major setback, the delivery process to the customer is lengthening and the costs for the extra storage time continue to rise.

Rising costs and waiting times

The average container dwell time at the port is also increasing, with a 9% increase during the strike period, while the average dwell time at other European ports has remained constant. If there are strikes next month as well, delays will accumulate, and be even greater. Meanwhile, the situation in maritime transport is difficult enough without protests. Container transport prices are rising, already reaching $9,000, and transit times are extending to over 50 days.

Strikes at other ports?

The load on medium-sized terminals, hitherto not as heavily used, is also increasing, which puts these terminals and their employees in a new, more difficult situation. – There, too, there are already calls for potential strikes due to huge overloads in relation to previous loads. The terminals in question are those such as Tangier or Le Havre, which carriers use for transhipment to shorten the loop on which ships run.

Road transport is one of the most regulated areas of the labour market. Even a minimal exceeding of the permitted working time is a serious infringement, and there are indications that the regulations are to be even stricter. Exceeding working hours is one of the most serious offences in road transport, which not infrequently leads to truck accidents with serious consequences. As a result of these worrying reports, EU legislators drawing up a table of infringements in road transport have paid particular attention to offences relating to drivers’ driving and rest times. What else do the planned changes, which will come into force early next year, concern?

Additional points for tachograph manipulation

Manipulation of the tachograph is one of the offences with serious consequences. Infringements such as using an unapproved tachograph or having devices in the vehicle that interfere with the tachograph are among the most serious. If they are committed, they may result in a review procedure being initiated regarding the haulier’s modus operandi.

New categorisation of transport companies

Every road haulier is subject to a transport company rating. For this, the inspection services use a complex formula to determine the overall risk level of the company, if only on the basis of how often and for how many significant infringements the haulier has been penalised over the last two years. The system classifies carriers into four risk categories. Each category is marked with a colour.

Infringements in TSL and their classification

The revision of the legislation means that it is compulsory to update the tariffs in each of the member states of the European Union. Based on the classification of offences, the member states lay down rules on the level of penalties and how they should be imposed. The consequences of breaking the law must be effective and proportionate to the seriousness of the offence. According to the legislation, each offence detected by the services is classified into one of the following four categories:

• NN – most serious breaches – 90 points,
• BPN – very serious violations – 30 points,
• PN – serious breaches – 10 points,
• NMW – minor infringements – 1 point

The carrier receives points for even the smallest non-compliance with the applicable regulations. On the basis of these, he is qualified for the relevant threshold, which may entail an inspection of the company if the points are very high. The most serious infringements may result in proceedings to assess the good reputation of the transport company. This, in turn, may involve the loss of the licence, which in effect makes it impossible to carry out transport activities.