Last week, the first meeting of the Polish Forum for Maritime Technologies (PFTM) this year took place. Members and guests had the opportunity to see firsthand the development of PGZ Stocznia Wojenna and to discuss plans and ideas for the second half of the year.

The Polish Forum for Maritime Technologies is an association of entrepreneurs connected to the maritime industry. It currently includes over 70 companies. Their representatives meet several times a year as part of the “Together We Do Business” cycle to discuss opportunities for joint promotion and project implementation. These meetings are often combined with study visits to institutions related to the industry.

It was no different during the first PFTM meeting of the year. Guests were invited for a study visit to PGZ Stocznia Wojenna – a shipyard that in recent months has undergone a radical transformation, significantly increasing its production capabilities. Participants had the chance to see new investments on the shipyard premises, including the hull hall, where advanced work is already underway on the construction of the first frigate under the “Miecznik” program.

The shipyard tour was led by its CEO, Marcin Ryngwelski, who spoke about new opportunities and plans for the coming years.

“We specifically showed this place to the shipbuilding industry and PFTM so that, first of all, everyone sees that it makes sense, and secondly, that it is really happening. These are not just visualizations, plans, or dreams. Dreams were once, today they have been forged into metal,” said Ryngwelski about the shipyard’s ongoing investments. “The shipyard is undergoing an incredible transformation and is becoming a key location for national defense in terms of the maritime economy.”

“I think this is a very interesting visit and a very interesting meeting, which shows the completely new potential of PGZ Stocznia Wojenna, as well as the excellent cooperation between the Shipyard and other shipyards, such as CRIST Shipyard and Stal Complex, and the emerging new shipbuilding potential in Gdynia,” added Mateusz Kowalewski, president of PFTM.

The next part of the program was the presentation session held in the library building of the Naval Academy. There, PFTM members and guests attended several presentations. Marcin Ryngwelski of PGZ Stocznia Wojenna opened the session, reiterating the shipyard’s ongoing investments. He noted that the shipyard currently employs 800 people, but with contractors, around 1,200 people are present daily. When the “Miecznik” program enters its decisive phase, total employment will rise to 1,500. Due to the fact that “Miecznik” is a strategic, concession-based project, only Polish citizens can work on it. To preempt potential issues in finding adequately trained personnel, PGZ Stocznia Wojenna has started cooperating with the education sector, including supporting the launch of the “Technological Support for Shipbuilding” course at the Naval Academy.

The CEO also spoke about a logistics and warehouse center being built according to NATO guidelines and standards. Ryngwelski discussed his vision for future projects for the Polish Navy, stating that after the completion of current programs, there will be a need for construction of large supply vessels and smaller suppliers.

Ryngwelski also announced the Shipyard Parade, scheduled for 29 June, which will proceed along Świętojańska Street in Gdynia to Skwer Kościuszki, reminding locals of the importance of the shipbuilding sector.

Aleksandra Ohl of PŻB Offshore summarized the company’s activities. She explained that the company is already participating in various offshore service tenders with consortium partners. The first contracts for using CTV vessels abroad, together with BOTA Green Offshore, have also been signed. Ohl added that later this year the company plans to acquire used CTV vessels and begin construction of a new unit of this type at the Wulkan Shipyard in Szczecin. In the long term, PŻB Offshore plans to have patrol vessels, including autonomous and semi-autonomous units, as well as Service Operation Vessels. The project to convert one of PŻB’s ferries into a floatel for offshore wind farm crews is also ongoing.

“We are very pleased to be members of the Polish Forum for Maritime Technologies,” said Aleksandra Ohl, CEO of PŻB Offshore. “We want to be an important element building potential among Polish entrepreneurs, and we also see ourselves as a platform for sharing experiences and inviting collaboration.”

Later in the meeting, Mateusz Kowalewski, president of PFTM, summarized the organization’s activities in 2024 and welcomed six new members. He also outlined plans for the rest of 2025.

“During the presentation, I also presented PFTM’s plans for 2025 and the coming years. One of the most important activities is our new effort to obtain funding from the European Union. We submitted the first application for PFTM funding for activities related to conference organization and trade show booths that we plan to organize,” reported Mateusz Kowalewski. “I also presented our plans for participation in upcoming events. It is worth highlighting potential PFTM booths with our partners at the SMM trade fair in Mumbai. If we gather sufficient interest, we will organize a booth there. Another joint activity will be a large booth in the form of an almost 50-meter-long island at BaltExpo, where we plan to feature at least 6–7 members and organize various activities during the event. Another planned activity is the possibility of organizing a shared booth space with our members at Europort Rotterdam in November,” concluded the PFTM president.