What objectives will be achieved through the construction of the transhipment hub?

The hub will enable the transshipment of cargo, including aviation fuel and the supply of fuel to all aircraft operating from Pyrzowice airport. Owing to the new infrastructure, the road transport will be reduced in favour of railway, which is part of the process of supporting the development of a sustainable transport system. The new infrastructure will be prepared to handle alternative fuels in order to improve energy efficiency and reduce climate emission. The Pyrzowice multi-modal cargo and fuel transshipment hub will be adapted for dual civil and military use, enabling the safeguarding of supplies and continuity of operations as part of ongoing military operations. The overall project is interoperable, which means that the new infrastructure will be intended for use by all entities interested in using the airport, both civilian and military, as well as companies doing business in the region.

What will be created as part of the investment?

As part of the project, a railway siding will be built to connect Katowice Airport with the Central Railway Main Line via railway line 182 Zawiercie - Tarnowskie Góry.  At the heart of the investment, a rail unloading front will operate for loading and unloading of goods and fuels, which will be adjacent to three 1000 m³ tanks and two tanker unloading bays. In the part of the junction located in the restricted area of the airport, three filling stations for airport tankers will be created. 

The investment in the construction of a multimodal freight and fuel transshipment hub based on a railway siding at Katowice Airport is important for the safety of Poland and even the entire EU. Following Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the airport became the main hub for humanitarian aid to Ukraine fighting the Russian invaders. 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 the Member States

- said Grzegorz Puda, the Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy. 

According to the schedule, the “Construction of a multimodal freight and fuel transhipment hub based on a railway siding at Katowice Airport” should be completed in 2026. The total budget of the project is estimated at PLN 95.5 million, of which up to 50% of the eligible costs will be covered by a European Union subsidy under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) 2021-2027 Military Mobility.