Marek Grobarczyk, former expert in the President’s Office for maritime economy and Member of the European Parliament, has recently taken the position of Minister on the newly established Ministry of Maritime Economy and Inland Navigation. He discusses the Ministry’s goals and current projects in providing sustainable development of Poland’s maritime economy.
European Times: What are the Ministry’s current goals?
Marek Grobarczyk: There are five important areas that are included within the Maritime Policy of the Republic of Poland to 2020, and are in the Ministry’s main focus. Strategic actions need to be undertaken in the revitalization and modernization of the Poland’s shipyards, as one of the most important areas which is directly supported from the Polish economy. Shipping, foremost known as Baltic shipping, has been always considered one of the basic conditions for economic development, and here our focus is on inland navigation.
Being considered as a connection between North and South Europe, the economy of the Polish ports together with the development of the fisheries sector, as a European idea of common CFP reform and policy, are other sectors that our policy focuses on. All this is rounded up with the fifth area, the development of a new sector of schools for fishery, shipyards and two maritime academies.
European Times: What are some of the current projects the Ministry is undertaking?
Marek Grobarczyk: One of our current projects is the development of the country’s shipyards, which was provided with a special regulation of financial support done through an exemption of company’s tax.
This year we will join the European inland waterway system, by signing the European agreement on main inland waterways of international importance (AGN Convention), and designed a strategy to rebuild three important Polish Inland routes E30, E40 and E70. Our next step is to ratify this Convention by joining the European programs of the corridors with the –TEN-T system and the “Connecting Europe Facility” program. This creates a necessity for collaboration with foreign investors and international funders, such as the European commission, European investment fund, EBRD, the World Bank and Bank of China.
European Times: Why should foreign investors invest in Poland’s inland navigation?
Marek Grobarczyk: Our strategy for inland navigation development puts great potential for new investments in the electricity and road infrastructure. We are ready to cooperate with all the companies and countries that would like to join the Ministry of Maritime Economy and Inland Navigation in Poland. Considering our decision to connect to the European inland waterway system (AGN Convention), and the fact that Poland’s rivers create the shortest connection between the Baltic and Mediterranean Sea, I see many opportunities for the companies which want to invest in our solutions and benefit from this transport.
