The 12th International Maritime Congress was held in Szczecin on May 13–14. There were also discussions between the energy sector and military representatives. On the first day of the conference, during the plenary debate titled “A Safe Baltic Sea: Critical Infrastructure, Defense, and the Security of the Maritime Economy,” Janusz Gajowiecki, president of the Polish Wind Energy Association, took the floor.

“Offshore wind farms introduce new ways to protect the Baltic Sea by enabling the installation of monitoring equipment in areas currently inaccessible to the military. At the same time, the costs incurred today by investors building offshore wind farms are very high. That is why the wind energy sector is keen on stronger cooperation with the military to better share resources that can bring benefits in both economic and military terms,” said Janusz Gajowiecki.

On May 14, Dominika Taranko, Vice President and Managing Director of Wind Industry Hub, participated in a panel titled “Offshore Begins and Ends on Land – Seaports as the Gateway to Offshore.” The discussion covered, among other topics, the role of seaports and their immediate hinterland in the offshore sector, seaports’ experience in developing production, transport, and logistics for offshore needs, scenarios for the development of European ports’ potential in offshore sectors, and trends in locating offshore production and distribution centers in seaports and port agglomerations.

The other speakers were:

  • Andrzej Montwiłł, President of the West Pomeranian Maritime Cluster, Representative of the Marshal of the West Pomeranian Province for Renewable Energy and H2, Assistant Professor at the West Pomeranian Maritime University of Technology in Szczecin
  • Artur Lijewski, President of the Management Board, Kołobrzeg Seaport Authority Sp. z o.o.
  • Arkadiusz Ryż, Managing Director, Fairplay Towage Polska Sp. z o.o.
  • Michał Śmigielski, President of the Management Board, Gdynia Maritime Agency Sp. z o.o.
  • Sebastian Wionczek, Managing Director, Świnoujście Offshore Terminal (Orlen Group)

Thank you for the invitation!