Gdynia Maritime University GMU

Gdynia Maritime University Centre for the Offshore Industry
Poland's New Offshore Research and Education centre

Gdynia Maritime University has completed the development of a modern facility dedicated to the offshore industry. The Grand Opening of the Centre will be held on 29 February 2024.

The construction of the GMU Offshore Centre is part of the University's strategic aims for the years 202-2024, which envisages the undertaking of comprehensive, specialist research and development work for the needs of the innovative maritime industry.

As an integral part of GMU's development plans, the new Centre will be the headquarters of both the Maritime Institute and the University's Offshore Wind Energy Centre, which supports the offshore industry through the education of management personnel, the contribution of current industry knowledge and integration of the offshore wind energy community.

- It is our intention to contribute to the creation of a local Polish supply chain for the offshore industry. We will do everything to ensure that the Offshore Centre will become a root in the growth of a "Polish Offshore Valley" - said GMU Rector Professor Adam Weintrit during a ceremonial open sitting of the Senate in December 2021.

Gdynia Maritime University currently runs the first in Poland and second in the world Executive MBA programme for the offshore wind energy sector, launched in March 2021. Poland's oldest maritime education institution has continued to increase the number of study programmes it offers in relation to the offshore sector.

-In all four faculties, we have launched 1st-cycle (bachelor's) or 2nd-cycle (master's) degrees, postgraduate studies, and MBA programmes, which are to educate future managers of the offshore wind energy sector. We saw the potential in the undeveloped area between the sea and the land, and that is the offshore area – said Professor Adam Weintrit during an acceptance speech for a prestigious 'Gold Anchor' award given to the University in the 'Offshore' category at BALTEXPO 2023 for its work in "education and research for the needs of the offshore wind energy industry".

The almost 64 million PLN investment project began in 2021 and the building was granted a use permit in November 2023. On 15 June 2021, the University signed a contract with general building contractor Budimex S.A. and on 15th September, the partners held a topping-out ceremony to mark reaching the highest point of the building. On the same day, GMU also signed an agreement with companies MEWO S.A. and PGE Baltica for the conduction of environmental tests for the Baltica 1 Offshore Wind Farm Project. The Rector of GMU once again stressed the significance of the investment, this time emphasising in his speech the scale of the project and highlighting the development of scientific research at Gdynia Maritime University:

-The GMU Centre for the Offshore Industry will be a research and education facility for the country's offshore wind energy sector [...]  The dynamic development of wind energy may prove to be a driving force for the University, but also for many areas of the national economy. The agreement signed with PGE Baltica is one of the largest in the university's history. We will be better placed to benefit from the wide range of competencies and experience of the University's staff.

Also, speaking on the day were representatives of the government of the Republic of Poland. Grzegorz Witkowski, the then-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Infrastructure, expressed his appreciation of the determination and consistency of the work of the Rector and the research staff at Gdynia Maritime University for the access of Poland and the EU to green energy.

In his speech, Pomeranian governor Mieczysław Struk referred to the ecological aspect of the investment project and its importance for the Pomerania region.

- Offshore technology is part of our Smart Specialisations for Pomerania programme. The Centre for the Offshore Industry will allow Pomerania's maritime companies to strengthen their international competitiveness and accelerate their development by carrying out research and development and creating innovative products, services, and technologies for the environmentally friendly exploration and exploitation of marine resources.

GMU has for years been a leader in the Polish offshore market in environmental, geophysical, geological and geotechnical research for maritime investments, especially concerning wind power. The GMU Centre for the Offshore Industry will be a vital research and education facility for Poland's offshore wind energy sector. For this reason, the newly opened Centre will contain high-end accredited laboratories adapted to modern maritime industry requirements. The building will also be home to other facilities and departments of the GMU Maritime Institute, currently dispersed around the Tri-City. The Centre for the Offshore Industry will also benefit from a warehouse for measuring devices and equipment with a surface area of 440 m2 and a height of 7.5 m, as well as a modern disk matrix with a capacity of 1.0 PB

The new facility's location, on Roberta de Plelo Street in Gdańsk, is also worthy of attention. The building provides direct access to the Wisłoujście dock, which was constructed by Port of Gdańsk Authority in 2020. The dock, which forms part of the area of Port of Gdańsk, has a total length of approximately 500 m — of which 200 m is dedicated to transhipment (20 kN/m2). and will allow the University and its contractors to berth and perform maintenance on research, training, and service ships. It will also provide access to installations and equipment required for the training and education provided by the University.

The Centre for the Offshore Industry is made up of two two-floor buildings covering an area of 5,500 m2, linked by a first-floor skyway.

The investment project is co-financed by the Regional Operation Programme for the Pomeranian Voivodeship for 2014-2020, which is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund.
 

 THE CENTRE FOR THE OFFSHORE INDUSTRY IN NUMBERS:

• Approximately 200 workstations
• Two two-storey buildings of a combined area covering 5,500 m2
• Warehouse for measuring devices and equipment with a surface area of 440 m2 and a height of 7.5 m
• Direct access to Wisłoujście dock with a total length of approximately 500 m