Offshore wind is no longer merely a project of the future. As participants in the panel entitled “Offshore Wind. Has offshore wind energy become a driving force for Polish ports and industry?” during the Polish Ports 2030+ Congress stressed, the first tangible effects of the investments are already visible in ports, shipyards and manufacturing facilities. At the same time, all speakers agreed that the region is only at the beginning of far deeper economic transformation.

– We are at the beginning of the process of building industrial capabilities. It often seems that it is taking a very long time and that the results are limited. That is not true. We are now reaching the point at which these investments are beginning to deliver tangible results – said the moderator of the debate, Jakub Budzyński, President of the Polish Offshore Wind Energy Society.

Domestic industry as a guarantee of energy security

Jakub Wnuczyński, President of Baltic Towers, spoke about the importance of developing a domestic manufacturing base. As he recalled, the expansion of offshore wind in Europe had for years outpaced the continent’s industrial capacity.

– At one stage there was a race to see who could install more capacity. Meanwhile, Europe’s industrial potential was limited and many segments suffered from a shortage of manufacturing capacity. Without a sufficiently developed supply chain, such projects carry enormous risks – he stressed.

According to the President of Baltic Towers, developing European manufacturing for offshore wind is important not only from an economic perspective, but also a strategic one.

– If we fail to manufacture key components in Europe, we will hand over control of part of our energy system to suppliers from outside the continent – he noted.

Baltic Towers currently employs around 500 people, while the plant’s production capacity allows it to manufacture 150 towers annually, equivalent to projects with a combined capacity of approximately 2.2 GW. Wnuczyński also emphasised that predictable investment schedules are crucial for industry.

– Nothing is more damaging than unpredictable projects – he stressed

Offshore is already strengthening the position of Pomeranian companies

The benefits for local industry are already clearly visible. As Tomasz Szymczak, President of Grupa Przemysłowa Baltic, explained, the offshore wind sector has become one of the pillars of the company’s operations, including at facilities located on the site of the former Gdańsk Shipyard.

– Today, onshore and offshore projects account for around 70 per cent of our turnover. This segment has the potential to establish Grupa Przemysłowa Baltic’s long-term market position, especially as profitability in offshore manufacturing is higher than in many other areas of our business – he said.

Ports preparing for a long-term boom

Participants in the debate pointed out that the development of offshore wind requires not only new factories, but also appropriate port infrastructure.

Sebastian Wionczek, Managing Director of the Świnoujście Offshore Terminal, admitted that options for further expansion of the terminal are already being analysed.

– The continuity of cargo handling is crucial to the profitability of investments of this kind. The establishment of further manufacturing facilities serving the offshore sector represents a major opportunity for Poland. Once domestic projects have been completed, their output will be able to supply European markets, while port infrastructure will remain indispensable – he said.

In his view, land allocated for offshore projects should be used flexibly – not only for cargo handling operations, but also for manufacturing activities.

Lech Paszkowski, President of Istrana, the company investing in the T5 terminal in Gdańsk, also addressed the issue.

– The infrastructure currently under construction must be prepared for different scenarios and capable of serving multiple purposes, including during periods of weaker demand in the offshore wind sector – he stressed.

He revealed that the project is approximately 85 per cent complete. Reinforced concrete works were finished a month ago, while fitting-out and infrastructure works are currently underway. The terminal is scheduled to be handed over to PGE Baltica in November.

For at least a decade, the facility will serve the offshore sector. However, options for its future use are already being assessed. In this case, the matter requires agreement with the European Commission, which approved state support for the T5 project as offshore infrastructure and therefore has influence over its future utilisation.

Polish companies and lasting transformation

The growing involvement of Polish companies in offshore investments was highlighted by Paweł Dąbrowski, Director of the Business Development and Advisory Department at PGE Baltica.

– Polish companies account for 95 per cent of the work on the construction of our operations and maintenance base in Ustka. Enterprises from across the country are involved both in the design phase and in project delivery – he said.

Dąbrowski pointed out that, as in Western Europe, smaller coastal towns in Poland could also become important centres for servicing offshore projects.

– This completely changes the way these towns function and creates entirely new opportunities for economic development – he noted.

The first effects of the sector’s growth are also being felt by smaller ports. Artur Lijewski, President of the Port of Kołobrzeg Authority, explained that the port is currently handling mainly survey vessels, but is preparing for a much greater role.

– We have signed a reservation agreement with Orlen concerning the construction of an operations and maintenance base for the next phase of the investment – he recalled.

According to Lijewski, the experience of other ports demonstrates that success depends not only on strategic documents, but above all on operational efficiency and the ability to respond quickly to market needs. He also pointed to growing investor interest in land located adjacent to the port and well connected to its infrastructure.

The transformation has progressed even further in Władysławowo.

– In the past, more than 100 of the 120 vessels based in the port were fishing boats. Today, offshore is the number one industry in Władysławowo – said Witold Wawrzonkowski, President of the Port of Władysławowo Szkuner.

He noted that the port is already being intensively used by the offshore sector, despite having been excluded from allocations under Poland’s National Recovery Plan (KPO). At the same time, its importance is increasing in connection with the construction of the nuclear power plant in Choczewo.

– Oversized cargoes are already arriving at the port, while the local shipyard is increasingly servicing vessels working on offshore projects – he added.

Offshore is reshaping Pomerania’s economy

According to Dominik Dados, O&M Senior Manager at Ocean Winds, the impact of offshore wind extends far beyond the energy sector itself.

– Offshore wind is transforming not only Poland’s energy system, but also the economic model of Pomerania. Puck County is no longer perceived solely as a tourist region. It is becoming a centre for energy-related services, electricity transmission and energy storage – he said.

As he emphasised, this also means a transformation of the local labour market.

– These will no longer be seasonal jobs linked to tourism, but year-round employment in modern industry and services – he noted.

Ocean Winds currently uses the port of Władysławowo, while its service base is being built by the Polish contractor Przembud and the offshore substation has been ordered from the Crist shipyard. Dados stressed that supporting local companies forms part of the company’s strategy.

– Short supply chains are more efficient, easier to manage and, in the long term, more cost-effective – he concluded.

The conclusions of the debate were unequivocal: offshore wind is already driving the development of Pomeranian ports and businesses, but its most significant economic effects are still to come. The factories, service bases, terminals and industrial capabilities now being created have the potential to fundamentally reshape the economic structure of the entire region in the years ahead.

Photo: GospodarkaMorska.pl