BGZ considers zl.186 million financing for ferry port

Bank Gospodarki Zywnosciowej (BGZ) may provide Zarzad Portu Morskiego Szczecin-Swinoujscie (ZPMSS) with the zl.186 million it needs to invest in the Swinoujscie ferry port in northwestern Poland. ZPMSS plans to make a final decision about purchasing the ferry port at its May 7th shareholders meeting. Remigiusz Jagnyziak of BGZ has confirmed that the bank is interested in providing credit for the investment, but only as part of a consortium with another financial institution. The ferry port currently belongs to the state-owned Polska Zegluga Baltycka (PZB), which is heavily in debt. Since it was originally built, at a cost of zl.154 to the state, Swinoujscie ferry port has been enlarged two and a half times. It now has an annual handling capacity of 810,000 passengers, 150,000 cars, 690,000 rail cars and 2.62 million tons of freight. PZB is in no financial condition to maintain the port, and that is the reason why the State Treasury wants to sell it. (Puls Biznesu p. 3) A.D.