Granulate Transport from Gdańsk to Germany and Austria

In brief

The Gdańsk → Chorula → DACH corridor is, for many PE/PP importers, the shortest route from Asia to end customers in Central-Western Europe. PHS Magnum handles the entire road section: port of Gdańsk → SMIALA terminal Chorula → the customer’s silo in DE/AT.

Why Gdańsk for granulate imports

Baltic Hub Container Terminal

Baltic Hub (formerly DCT Gdańsk) — the largest container terminal on the Baltic Sea. After the launch of terminal T3 (2025), handling capacity is ~4.5 million TEU per year. Direct connections:

• FE line (Far East) — Shanghai, Singapore, Busan, Ningbo
• INTAM line — Hamburg/Rotterdam/Antwerp (feeder)
• BAL line — Baltic ports (Klaipėda, Riga, Helsinki)

Transit time Shanghai → Gdańsk: 28-35 days (FCL container). That is 5-7 days faster than via Hamburg → by road to Poland.

Terminal costs

Handling fees at Baltic Hub are typically 15-25% lower than in Hamburg/Bremerhaven for 20’/40’ containers. Plus no German Maut for the first road leg (Gdańsk → DE border = 600+ km inside Poland).

Proximity to motorways

From Baltic Hub to the A1 (motorway heading south): ~15 km. Route: A1 southbound to the A2 interchange, then A2 westbound to the DE border (Świecko). From the port of Gdańsk to the Polish motorway = 30 min from the terminal gate. Polish fleet straight through to Germany/Austria.

Import workflow — step by step

Stage 1: Before the container arrives

Standardly 7-14 days before ETA:

• The customer/importer notifies PHS Magnum: container number, B/L, ETA Gdańsk, material (type, quantity, MSDS), end customer in DE/AT, deadline
• PHS Magnum coordinates the customs agency (if the customer does not have their own), road transport Gdańsk → Chorula, a slot at the SMIALA terminal, a silo trailer suitable for the material, and a driver for the end customer
• The end customer in DE/AT confirms their delivery slot

Stage 2: Container at the port of Gdańsk

• The ship arrives at Baltic Hub
• Container discharge — 6-12 h from berthing
• Customs clearance (after handing the documents to the agency): 1-3 days
  • Standard import from Asia (PE/PP): T1 transit or T2 intra-Community
  • Deferred VAT (registration in PL) or at the DE border if travelling onwards
  • REACH compliance check (chemicals)
• After clearance: the container is released for transport

Stage 3: Transport Gdańsk → Chorula (~570 km)

• A PHS Magnum driver arrives at the Baltic Hub gate
• Pickup of the 20’ or 40’ container
• Route: A1 → A2 → A4 (4-6 hours of net driving, 6-7 with breaks)
• Arrival at the SMIALA terminal in Chorula

Stage 4: Transloading at SMIALA Chorula

• The container enters the terminal premises (Chorula, ul. Kościelna 9)
• Inbound weighing (weight check against the B/L)
• Container unloading: big-bags (typically 20 pieces × 1,000 kg) with a 5 t forklift
• Sequence:
  • Standard direct-to-trailer: big-bags from the container straight over the silo trailer
  • Storage-then-trailer: big-bags into the warehouse, loaded later (if waiting for another silo trailer)
• Gravity transloading: 3-4 min per big-bag
• Total time for a 20’ container: 2.5-4 h
• Documentation: transloading protocol with big-bag numbers, silo trailer chamber cleanliness certificate

Stage 5: Transport Chorula → end customer in DE/AT

• The silo trailer departs according to the customer’s deadline
• Typical routes (see also DACH routes):
  • Berlin: 6-7 h
  • Leipzig: 5-6 h
  • Dresden: 3-4 h
  • Vienna: 7-8 h
  • Munich: 9-10 h
• Pneumatic unloading at the end customer: 1-1.5 h
• CMR signed, quality documentation handed over

Stage 6: Closing the documentation

• PHS Magnum invoice to the importer
• Complete document set: CMR Gdańsk → Chorula, SMIALA transloading protocol, CMR Chorula → DE, proof of delivery
• For materials with QC requirements: chamber cleanliness certificate, moisture report (for hygroscopic materials)
• Customs agency invoice (separately, to the importer)

Example customer scenarios

Mid-volume importer (50-200 t/month)

Profile: a Polish PE/PP distributor with 5-10 end customers in PL/DE/CZ. Imports 2-3 40’ containers per month from Korea.

Workflow:

• Standing framework agreement with PHS Magnum
• SMIALA receives notice of each container 7 days before ETA
• Distributor: different end destinations per container — SMIALA prepares the silo trailers
• Contract rate, monthly invoicing
• Track-and-trace dashboard for the importer

Manufacturer with a production line and its own imports

Profile: a manufacturer in Germany (e.g. a film extruder in Brandenburg) independently imports 1-2 40’ containers per week from LG Chem.

Workflow:

• The manufacturer has its own customs agency in Gdańsk
• PHS Magnum takes over the container after customs clearance
• Workflow Gdańsk → Chorula → the manufacturer’s plant in 36-42 h
• The silo trailer unloads directly into the customer’s production silo
• Chamber cleanliness certificate + moisture report on the CMR

Premium regranulate recycler

Profile: a European PET recycler buys regranulates from Asia (Indorama, Far Eastern) as a blend with its own product.

Workflow:

• 1 container per month with rPET regranulate big-bags
• SMIALA transloads into a silo trailer with optional quality screening (1-10 mm sieve)
• Delivery to the recycler’s warehouse in PL/CZ
• Full batch traceability documentation per big-bag

Materials from Gdańsk — top 5

1. PE-LD and PE-HD (polyethylene) — ~40% of volume

Producers: LG Chem (Korea), Sinopec/PetroChina (China), ExxonMobil (USA via Houston). Standard silo trailer, dry cleaning between loads.

2. PP (polypropylene) — ~30% of volume

Producers: Sabic (Saudi Arabia), Borealis (Austria — re-export), Sinopec (China), Formosa (Taiwan). Standard or aluminium silo trailer (Spitzer SF series) for premium grades.

3. PET bottle-grade — ~15% of volume

Producers: Indorama (Thailand), Plastiverd (Spain), Far Eastern (Taiwan). Hygroscopic — a hall with RH <40% and food-grade wet chamber washing are required.

4. PA6/PA66 (polyamide) — ~8% of volume

Producers: Domo (Belgium), Lanxess (Korea), DuPont (Korea). Strongly hygroscopic — octabins preferred in transport, short transfer window.

5. rPET/rPP regranulates — ~7% of volume

European producers (Poland, Germany) + premium-grade imports from Asia. Visual inspection + screening required during transloading.

Benefits of the Gdańsk corridor

Result: for many Asian producers and Central European buyers, the Gdańsk corridor is cheaper and faster.

Contact

Silo transport, Gdańsk imports:

• Dispatcher phone: +48 602 716 551
• E-mail: biuro@magnumchorula.pl

SMIALA transloading, Chorula:

• Dedicated phone: +48 664 135 005
• E-mail: biuro@magnumchorula.pl

For enquiries about the Gdańsk → DACH corridor, please provide:

• Material (type, quantity, MSDS if ADR)
• Container ETA in Gdańsk (from the B/L)
• Destination address in DE/AT
• Quality requirements (food-grade, moisture, washing)

Individual quote: 4-8 working hours.

Related: Silo transport — a guide · What we transport by silo trailer · Routes to DACH · Big-bag transloading · SMIALA — transloading terminal · Silo trailer cleaning · ADR in chemical transport