GRODNO, 29 June (BelTA) – Potential investors are invited to participate in the construction of a multimodal logistics hub at the Belarusian-Polish border. The investment idea was published on the website of the free economic zone (FEZ) Grodnoinvest, BelTA has learned.
The future logistics hub is supposed to be able to handle ten pairs of trains per day. The facility will be located in Grodno District at the Belarusian-Polish border. The project provides for building automobile roads, access railroads, and engineering networks. Pre-design documentation has been developed. The approval of all the relevant authorities has been obtained. Minimal investments and the necessary technical parameters have been calculated.
According to the FEZ Grodnoinvest administration, transport and logistics represent some of the promising avenues in development of Grodno Oblast. The region is an important transit link in the international system of commodity flows. The oblast is conveniently located at the border of two major economic formations – the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union, between Europe and Asia.
Grodno Oblast boasts a number of important advantages. Transport infrastructure was mentioned. There are some 15,000km of motorways in the region. Access to the western track gauge and the eastern one is available. It can reduce the cost of freight transportation depending on its destination. The region also has its own airport that services international flights. The airport has its own customs service unit, border control unit, and a sanitary control unit in addition to a system of warehouses. Important European transport corridors, trans-European transport links are located nearby. There are four major sea ports within a 400km radius.
Grodno Oblast is ahead of the country's average in terms of transport and logistics. Since 2010 the freight turnover and the export of transport services have doubled, with the industry's share in the gross regional product past 5% at Br494 million. The leaders are Grodno and the district where 36% of the oblast's freight transportation by road is formed. They are followed by Lida District (10%) and Smorgon District (8%).
The free economic zone offers additional terms for logistics companies. Investment sites have been formed at the Polish border in Svisloch District and Grodno District and in the Grodno international airport. Potential investors and resident companies will get tax incentives and customs preferences.
Since 2018 five companies with investments from Belarus, Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, and China have become residents of FEZ Grodnoinvest. Investors are attracted by an advantageous geographical position of Grodno Oblast, a well-developed manufacturing sector with a high share of export, and the special legal regime of the free economic zone.
