Agreement on the port's perspectives

07.04.2008

The Supervisory Board of the Port of Gdansk Authority SA decided on changes in the composition of the port's management. On Friday, 4 April this year, following the interviews with all 14 condidates who had taken part in the competition announced a month before, President of the Board Stanislaw Cora and Vice-President of the Board Marian Switek were released from their functions. Ryszard Strzyzewicz (aged 57) was named new President of the Board and Slawomir Wrzesniak (aged 50) was elected Vice-President for Financial Affairs. The Supervisory Board also re-appointed Julian Skelnik (aged 54) to serve another term in office as Vice-President for Marketing - the position he has held hitherto.

The economists have replaced the lawyers. Currently, the entire PGA SA Management Board is composed of graduates of the Faculty of Economics and Maritime Transport of the Gdansk University. Additionally, they all have teaching and research experience as academics at this university. Another CV item that the new members of the Port of Gdansk Management Board have in common is the experience in managing companies in the field of maritime economy.

Ryszard Strzyzewicz PhD has recently headed the Department of Economic Development at the Office of the President of the Pomeranian Province and worked as CEO at the Management Group POMERANIA SA that was set up at the Gdansk Pomerania Development Agency. Vice-President Slawomir Wrzesniak for many years managed financial affairs of such companies as Port of Gdansk Cargo Logistics, among the others. Vice-President Julian Skelnik combines his duties of the PGA SA Head of Marketing with his honorary function as Consul of the Kingdom of Denmark in Gdansk (since 1993), and recently he has also held the office of BPO Chairman (Baltic Ports Organization).

The first reflexions that have been published following the changes in the PGA SA Management Board mainly emphasize the difficult situation of the Gdansk port. A significant drop in the bulk cargo turnover, which has so far generated the best part of the profit for the port that specializes in the handling of liquid fuels and coal, presents a major challenge to the new Port Management. There are too many logistics-related decisions determining the development perspectives of the port which has been designated as one of national strategic importance, that are beyond the scope of competence of the Port of Gdansk. Let us hope, therefore, that those commentators are right who perceive the changes as an opportunity of wide-ranging agreement between the PGA SA management and Poland's economic and political authorities, which will ensure intensified measures in place to overcome the port crisis situation.