The established Blue Economy sectors in Poland directly employ more than 158 thousand people and generate approximately €3.6 billion in GVA (2021). The Polish Blue Economy represents a relatively small proportion of the national economy, contributing by approx. 1% to national employment and by 0.7% to national GVA.
The relative size and share of the Blue Economy has remained stable in Poland since 2009. However, in absolute terms the number of people employed in the Blue Economy showed a 52% increase from 104 thousand, the lowest level registered in 2011. This brought the contribution to national employment to raise from 0.7% in 2011 to 1% in 2021.
In the EU, Poland’s Blue Economy ranks 11th in employment and 12th in GVA.
The largest container seaport in Poland is the port of Gdansk, which is one of the largest in the Baltic Sea region and the 5th largest cargo port in the EU, handling nearly 80 million tonnes in 2023. Other important seaports include the ports of Gdynia (26 million tonnes), Swinoujscie (18 million tonnes), and Szczecin (12 million tonnes). This latter port is located about 68km from the coastline in the Lower Oder Valley. The port of Swinoujscie received approximately 1.1 million passengers in 2023 (48% of the total), followed by the port of Gdynia (0.6 million passengers) and the port of Gdansk (0.2 million passengers).
In the EU, Poland ranks 4th in employment and 6th in GVA for Shipbuilding and repair; 5th in employment and 8th in GVA for Marine living resources; and 6th in employment and 9th in GVA for Marine non-Living resources.
The largest container seaport in Poland is the port of Gdansk, which is one of the largest in the Baltic Sea region and the 16th largest cargo port in the EU, handling more than 45 million Tonnes in 2021. Other important seaports include the ports of Gdynia, Swinoujscie, and Szczecin (this latter located at about 68km from the coastline in the Lower Oder Valley), handling nearly 49 million Tonnes in total.
The abovementioned ports are also the largest in Poland for passenger traffic, particularly for ferries and cruise ships, receiving approximately 1.8 million passengers per year.
Several organisations in Poland are monitoring and promoting the performance of the national Blue Economy, as illustrated below:
The Ministry of Infrastructure oversees maritime affairs, including maritime spatial planning, port infrastructure, maritime transport and maritime resource exploitation. It coordinates the implementation of the national Maritime Policy, which outlines priorities for the sustainable use and conservation of marine resources, and the Maritime Spatial Plan, which governs the spatial development of Polish sea areas.
The Maritime Institute in Gdańsk (Instytut Morski w Gdańsku) is a research and development unit supervised by the Ministry of Maritime Economy. For over fifty years, the Institute has been closely associated with maritime economy. The Institute conducts research work, scientific and implementation projects, studies and assessments. Its mission is to take care of and preserve the values of the sea and sustainable development of the Polish maritime economy.
The National Marine Fisheries Research Institute (NMFRI) is the oldest marine science centre in Poland. Its mission is to provide independent, objective and up-to-date knowledge based on scientific activity as well as research and development works, which support economically sustainable and environmentally sound development of marine fisheries.
The Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) is an intergovernmental organization to protect the marine environment in the Baltic Sea from pollution, preserve its biological diversity and promote the sustainable use of its resources. Poland is one of the contracting parties and signatories of the Helsinki Convention.
- Other sources of information on the Polish Blue Economy are:
- Ministry of Maritime Economy and Inland Navigation (Ministerstwo Gospodarki Morskiej i Żeglugi Śródlądowej).
- Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences (Instytut Oceanologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk).
- Polish Geological Institute - National Research Institut (PGI-NRI, Państwowy Instytut Geologiczny - Państwowy Instytut Badawczy).
Currently, there are many opportunities to acquire Blue Economy education and skills within the country, such as the Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Navigation, Naval Architecture, Oceanography, or Maritime Security offered by the Maritime University of Szczecin, the University of Gdańsk, or the Polish Naval Academy in Gdynia.
This interactive dashboard presents the evolution of the blue economy for Poland. It is designed to provide insights into key economic indicators over time.
At the top of the dashboard, there is a drop-down menu that allows users to select one of the following data categories:
- Employment: Number of jobs and workforce trends in the blue economy sectors.
- Gross Value Added (GVA): The contribution of the blue economy to the national economy.
- Turnover and Gross Profit: Revenue and profitability metrics of blue economy industries.
- Investment: Capital investment levels in blue economy sectors.
Once a category is selected, the main panel updates to display relevant visualisations, such as line charts or bar graphs, showing trends over time. These visualisations are accompanied by labels, legends, and tooltips to ensure clarity and accessibility.
The dashboard is navigable via keyboard and compatible with screen readers. All interactive elements are clearly labeled, and data visualisations include alternative text descriptions summarising key insights.