Port Gdynia handles its largest-ever container ship, the 399-metre MSC Venice, after $130m infrastructure upgrade

Port Gdynia reached a milestone on 24 July 2026 when it received the MSC Venice, a 399-metre container ship that is the largest unit ever to enter the port. The call was the first for a vessel of this size and marks the culmination of a multi-year programme of infrastructure investment.

Infrastructure adapted for Baltmax vessels

The arrival was feasible only after a series of upgrades that adapted the port for Baltmax-class ships, the largest container vessels operating in the Baltic Sea. Kalina Gierblińska, the port's press spokeswoman, said the entire approach from the entrance to the container terminal had to be rebuilt. The internal entrance was widened from 100 metres to 140 metres and the inner basins were deepened to 15.9 metres. Quays along the Port Channel were rebuilt, Turning Basin No. 2 was enlarged to a diameter of 480 metres, and the Helskie Quay was reconstructed to safely berth and service the biggest Baltic container ships. Together, the works allow the port to accept vessels up to 400 metres long and with a draught of up to 14.5 metres.

Political and management reaction

Deputy infrastructure minister Arkadiusz Marchewka, who visited the ship on Friday, said on X that Gdynia had become "a true deep-water port capable of handling the world's largest container ships." He added, in a statement quoted by the port, that the development of Polish ports directly affects the competitiveness of the economy and the security of supply chains. Port CEO Piotr Gorzeński described the call as a historic event for which the port had been preparing for years.

Strong, modern ports mean greater opportunities for Polish entrepreneurs and a stronger position for Poland in international trade.

Vessel specifications and itinerary

The MSC Venice is 399 metres long and 54 metres wide, with a capacity of 18,755 TEU. It berthed at the Helskie Quay as part of the BRITANNIA service. After departing Gdynia on 27 July, the ship will proceed to Klaipėda, then Le Havre, Antwerp and London before starting a voyage to Asia, with calls at Colombo, Port Klang, Singapore, Ningbo, Shanghai, Nansha, Yantian and Vung Tau.

Strategic significance for Polish trade

The upgrade project positions Gdynia alongside other Baltic hubs that can accommodate the largest vessels in the region. The call of the MSC Venice is being presented as evidence that the port's investment programme, realised over recent years, has unlocked a new level of operational capability and can attract more calls from long-haul container services.