About the maritime economy in Gdynia. Registration for the annual Maritime Economy Forum opens on August 31.

Challenges and opportunities for the maritime sector in the new geopolitical environment – this is the main theme of the 21st edition of the Maritime Economy Forum Gdynia 2022. – We can finally return to traditional panel discussions with the active participation of event participants involved in the construction and development of the maritime industry in Poland – says Wojciech Szczurek, president of Gdynia. 

On October 14, 2022, the Pomeranian Science and Technology Park in Gdynia will again host experts and specialists related to the maritime industry. During several thematic panels in five areas, they will try to analyze the current situation in which the industry finds itself and indicate the directions of its development.

– The forum provides a place for those involved in the maritime sector in the broadest sense of the term to exchange views and discuss. The city supports the development of every business, but the area of maritime economy is particularly close to us, so we are happy to organize an event that allows a meeting of specialists to discuss the most important challenges for the industry, fosters the building of good relations and perhaps will result in new projects and contracts– stresses Wojciech Szczurek, president of Gdynia.

This year’s discussions will revolve around five thematic blocks:

1. Maritime Technologies
2. Sea Ports
3. Maritime Logistics
4. Yacht Industry
5. Renewable Energy.

Małgorzata Bonikowska, PhD, president of the Center for International Relations, will be a special guest at the 21st edition of the Forum, giving a lecture on the contemporary geopolitical situation and its implications for our region. On the other hand, the current economic situation in Europe and Poland will be analyzed by Jacek Wiśniewski, chief economist at Raiffeisen Bank Poland.

Participants in the panel on maritime technologies will consider the development of new technologies for ship propulsion. Already today, according to Clarksons (an analytical and consulting center affiliated with the largest shipbroker), vessels powered by alternative fuels account for 34 percent of the number of orders for new ships worldwide. LNG is the leading option, but ships equipped with hybrid propulsion and battery energy storage are also emerging. LNG-powered vessels are also being built in Polish shipyards. Participants in the discussion will also consider the regulatory implications of measuring the carbon footprint of maritime transportation.

A heated discussion is likely to arise during the panel on maritime logistics. The current situation related to the war in Ukraine is already triggering changes in European supply chains. Polish ports play a significant role in this process, as it is through them that Ukrainian grain is transported for export to foreign markets. There are plans for further investments in ports and rail port stations to increase their handling capacity. Will it be possible to create a new efficient logistics environment that will prevent the vision of shortages of raw materials and food products – this is the question the speakers will be asking. Participants in this panel will also consider other threats emanating from the dominant position of the major maritime container operators, which may result in rising freight rates, with deteriorating quality of services.

A separate debate will be devoted to the situation of Polish ports. Presidents of ports from Gdynia, Gdańsk, Szczecin and Świnoujście will discuss the development strategy of their companies. They will also consider the needs and expectations of their business partners regarding port infrastructure. The speakers will also discuss the role of smaller ports, which, in line with the European Union’s new idea of developing short sea shipping, supports local ports. With the opening of the Vistula Spit crosscut and the planned deepening of the approach fairway, a seaport of local and complementary importance may soon emerge in Elbląg.

An important topic that could not be missing from this year’s event is the issue of renewable energy, also in relation to the maritime economy. Offshore wind energy, green solutions implemented in Polish ports, as well as hydrogen policy are the directions of consideration during this panel. Green hydrogen has already been identified by the European Commission in 2020 as one of the key energy carriers that can contribute to the realization of the European Green Deal. By 2050, hydrogen is expected to be a fully zero-carbon, widely available energy source in the EU. Speakers are likely to explain how hydrogen can be used in the maritime economy.

Poland is the world’s eighth and Europe’s fifth largest exporter of yachts, according to the Polish Economic Institute, so this topic cannot be missed at this year’s Forum. The Polish yacht industry numbers about 1,000 companies that employ nearly 50,000 people. According to PEI figures, domestic shipyards produce about 22,000 motor and sailing yachts annually. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, many Polish companies in the sector, in solidarity with the Ukrainian people, have broken off cooperation with Russian and Belarusian trading partners. How sanctions imposed on Russia have affected this business sector and the prospects for its further development will be discussed by participants in the Yacht Industry panel.

The topics for discussion are widely consulted by us both in Poland and abroad.  We want the Gdynia Maritime Economy Forum to be a leading national and European place for business contacts for representatives of maritime companies, the media and organizations representing maritime industries. – says Sławomir Kalicki, president of Inter Marine Sp. z o.o., leader and co-organizer of the Forum.

Guests of honor at the 21st edition of the Forum will be:

• Anders H. Eide – Ambassador of Norway to Poland
• Marisa Farrugia – Ambassador of Malta to Poland
• Ole Toft – Ambassador of Denmark to Poland.

The Gdynia 2022 Maritime Economy Forum will take place on October 14, 2022. The panelists and invited special guests will meet at the Pomeranian Science and Technology Park in Gdynia.

Participation in the Forum is free of charge, but you must confirm your attendance by pre-registering on the Forum’s website, which will begin on August 31.

Facebook: @ForumGospodarkiMorskiej

E-mail: forum@gdynia.pl

Organizer: The City of Gdynia and Gdynia Development Agency

CONTACT DETAILS:

Gdynia Development Agency, Limited Liability Company

Maja Stróżyk – Manager of organizational activities, tel: 58 712 47 21, 607 579 359,

e-mail: maja.strozyk@arg.gdynia.pl