Win-Port Invest Presents the Harbour Park Vlčie Hrdlo Project

On Monday, Win-Port Invest introduced the project for a trimodal port, Harbour Park, located in Vlčie Hrdlo, in the Bratislava district of Ružinov. The port will combine waterway, rail, and road transport. In the near future, the company plans to enter the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process and submit an application for a binding opinion from the city of Bratislava. The total investment, if the entire project is realized, is estimated at one billion euros. “In the coming days, we will initiate two specific steps: the launch of the EIA and the request for a binding opinion from the city council. These are two key permits or approvals that are required before we apply for zoning approval,” explained Ľuboš Čema from the company. 

The project will include a port basin, accompanied by a logistics park with warehouses and infrastructure. This includes the technical facilities for port operations as well as road and rail connections. It is divided into stages, with the first stage expected to encompass the core of the project, based on negotiations with the Ružinov district. In this phase, the basin itself will be approved, along with the opening of the port dam, logistics, and infrastructure, including a connection to the R7 expressway. The second phase will focus on developing the northern section of the project. The proposed port will be designed for the transshipment, interim storage, storage, and transport of standard shipping containers, excluding bulk materials. 

In addition to logistics and infrastructure, the project will include amenities and accommodation. However, this will not be traditional housing; the demand for employee accommodation came directly from the logistics companies. “It’s an industrial project with a housing function,” Čema noted, adding that the city’s zoning plan does not allow residential housing in the area. The company also assured that the land in question is not directly adjacent to protected areas, with a “buffer zone” in between. It also claims to be working to minimize environmental impacts. Mitigating measures are being discussed and prepared in collaboration with the Bratislava Regional Conservation Association (BROZ), affecting both the project area and its surroundings. The specifics of these measures are still being refined. 

When asked whether the proposed new port would replace or supplement the existing Bratislava port, the company stated that it is not their ambition to do so. Their aim is to contribute to the economic revival of the capital’s former standing. They pointed out that cities like London and Hamburg have moved their ports away from historic centers. According to them, having a port is beneficial, but it should be in the right location, where it does not disrupt residents. “We’re not presenting our project as something that needs to replace the Winter Port. It has its owner, tenant, and handles its own matters,” Čema noted. However, he acknowledged that if the port at Vlčie Hrdlo is built, the city may start to reconsider the future of the Winter Port from an urban planning perspective. One option for the Winter Port could be to turn it into a marina.

Translated from the source: openiazoch.zoznam.sk