Katowice Airport in Poland has announced it is to build a zł95.5m (US$22.7m) multimodal goods and fuel delivery hub with a railway siding connection by 2026.
The airport’s operating company Upper Silesian Aviation Group will soon sign an agreement with the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency for co-funding the project, titled ‘Construction of a multimodal goods and fuel delivery hub with railway siding connection at Katowice Airport’. The grant comes via the EU funding program Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) 2021-2027 Military Mobility and will cover up to 50% of eligible costs.
The hub will make it possible to transport goods, including aviation fuel, and provide fuel to all aircraft operating from Katowice Airport. Road traffic will be reduced in favor of rail, supporting the development of a sustainable transportation system. The infrastructure will also be able to handle alternative fuels to further improve energy efficiency and reduce climate emissions.
The multimodal goods and fuel delivery hub will be designed for civil-military dual use, enabling secure deliveries and continuity of operations during ongoing military operations. The entire project is interoperable, meaning that the new infrastructure is intended for use by all interested parties using the airport’s services, both civilian and military as well as entities doing business in the region.
As part of the project, a railway siding connecting Katowice Airport with the Central Rail Line via railway line No. 182 Zawiercie – Tarnowskie Góry will be created. This siding will enable the loading and unloading of goods and fuel and will be at the heart of the investment; it will consist of three 1000m³ containers and two unloading stands for tank vehicles. The part of the hub located within the restricted part of the airport will also feature three stands with fuelling pumps for aviation fuel trucks.
Grzegorz Puda, the Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy, Poland, commented, “The ‘Construction of a multimodal goods and fuel delivery hub with railway siding connection at Katowice Airport’ project is significant in terms of the safety of not only Poland but also the entire European Union. Following the Russian aggression against Ukraine, the airport became the main humanitarian aid hub for Ukraine, which fights the Russian invader. Thanks to the investment, we will increase the cross-border mobility of the European Union armed forces and eliminate bottlenecks in the infrastructure network of member states.”
Artur Tomasik, the president of the board of the Upper Silesian Aviation Group (GTL SA), said, “I wish to thank everyone involved in the realization of this project, in particular the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy. Construction of the multimodal goods and fuel delivery hub will definitely be one of the most important investments carried out at Katowice Airport in the foreseeable future. The new infrastructure will strengthen Katowice Airport in the area of logistics operations.”
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