Gdańsk University of Technology expands maritime ambitions with new training center in Sobieszewo

Gdańsk University of Technology has officially opened its new Maritime Training Center in Sobieszewo, strengthening the university’s long-term commitment to maritime education, sailing, offshore technologies and cooperation with the maritime industry. The new facility, launched under the #MorskaPG program, is expected to become a key hub for practical training, student engineering projects and the development of future maritime professionals in Poland.

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24 may 2026   |   06:19   |   Source: Gazeta Morska   |   Prepared by: Kamil Kusier   |   Print

fot. Kamil Kusier / Gazeta Morska

New infrastructure for Poland’s maritime future

Gdańsk University of Technology (Politechnika Gdańska) has taken another major step in reinforcing its maritime identity with the official opening of the Maritime Training Center in Sobieszewo, located near Gdańsk on the Baltic coast.

The investment represents one of the most important components of the university’s expanding #MorskaPG initiative - a strategic program integrating maritime education, academic sailing, engineering research and cooperation with the maritime industry.

The opening ceremony gathered representatives of academia, government administration, maritime organizations and the sailing community. Among the participants were Prof. Krzysztof Wilde, Rector of Gdańsk University of Technology, Beata Rutkiewicz, Pomeranian Voivode, Jacek Karnowski, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy, Emilia Lodzińska, Deputy Mayor of Gdańsk, as well as representatives of the Shipbuilding Forum, the Maritime and River League and the Pomeranian Sailing Association.

The event also included the Rector’s Cup regatta and the signing of a cooperation agreement supporting further development of the #MorskaPG program.

Maritime identity as a strategic direction

University authorities emphasized that the investment is not merely a sailing facility, but a strategic element of the institution’s broader maritime profile.

- Every university that wants to be recognizable must understand what makes it unique. In the case of Gdańsk University of Technology, that element is the sea. And if the sea is our identity, then so are sailing, maritime education, research and technologies developed under the #MorskaPG program, said Prof. Krzysztof Wilde, Rector of Gdańsk University of Technology.

The statement reflects the university’s broader ambition to position itself as one of Poland’s leading academic centers supporting the development of the modern maritime economy.

Today, the maritime profile of the university goes far beyond traditional sailing activities. It includes research and educational initiatives connected with:

• ship technologies,
• underwater systems,
• autonomous maritime solutions,
• offshore energy,
• port security systems,
• maritime engineering,
• innovative technologies for the blue economy.

Facility designed for practical maritime education

The new Maritime Training Center consists of both marina infrastructure and a newly developed land-based facility.

- The newly opened center in Sobieszewo consists of a marina and a new land base. The marina can accommodate 18 vessels and is equipped with water connections. The land facilities include the harbor master’s office, storage rooms, sanitary infrastructure, a common room and a recreational area with a bonfire site, explained Mariusz Miler, Chancellor of Gdańsk University of Technology.

The infrastructure was designed to support a broad spectrum of educational and practical activities. The center will host sailing and motorboat training courses, academic classes, engineering workshops and student research projects.

It will also support the development of the university fleet and regatta teams.

According to university representatives, practical maritime education remains one of the key foundations of the #MorskaPG initiative.

- The sea teaches much more than technical skills. It requires responsibility, independence and trust in others. It teaches decision-making in rapidly changing conditions. This experience is important not only for sailors, but also for future engineers, researchers and team leaders, said Prof. Marek Dzida, Rector’s Representative for Maritime Economy and Sailing.

Cooperation between academia and the maritime industry

One of the key moments during the opening ceremony was the signing of a cooperation agreement between the university and maritime organizations associated with the #MorskaPG initiative.

The agreement is intended to strengthen cooperation between academia and institutions connected with shipbuilding, sailing and the broader maritime economy.

The initiative reflects wider trends currently shaping the maritime sector in Poland and across Europe, where offshore energy, autonomous systems, digitalization and maritime security are becoming increasingly important.

University authorities underline that close cooperation between academia and industry will be essential for developing the next generation of maritime technologies and specialists.

- We are moving forward. We are no longer living only on memories of the former strength of our shipyards and ports, but helping shape a new reality through investments like this one. I hope this place will build characters and projects that will become known not only in Poland, but internationally as well, said Beata Rutkiewicz, Pomeranian Voivode.

Representatives of the city of Gdańsk also highlighted the importance of the investment for the region.

- This event shows that Gdańsk University of Technology is not moving away from the sea, but getting even closer to it. Through projects like this, the university attracts young people, offers ambitious development opportunities and prepares specialists for sectors that will be crucial for the future of the city and the region, said Emilia Lodzińska, Deputy Mayor of Gdańsk.

Maritime economy and offshore competencies

The opening of the Maritime Training Center comes at a time when Poland is significantly increasing investments in offshore wind energy, port infrastructure and advanced maritime technologies.

Technical universities are expected to play a major role in supporting these transformations by educating highly qualified engineers and developing innovative solutions for the maritime sector.

- Poland is once again investing in the sea, and that requires courageous people. Nothing teaches courage, cooperation and imagination better than sailing. I hope many students will use this place and that new initiatives will continue to develop around it, said Jacek Karnowski, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy.

The Sobieszewo center is expected to become one of the places where future maritime engineers and technology specialists will gain practical experience during their studies.

Rector’s Cup regatta opens a new chapter

An integral part of the inauguration was the Rector’s Cup regatta, involving nine four-person crews.

The competition symbolically marked the beginning of the center’s operational activity as a place where academic education and practical maritime experience meet.

The winning crew consisted of Natalia Jabłońska, Adrianna Gulczyńska, Jakub Kwiatkowski and Iga Karczewska.

Second place went to Stanisław Janowicz, Zofia Piwońska, Szymon Kowalski and Rafał Janowicz, while third place was secured by Aleksandra Bujny, Hubert Nicgorski, Aleksandra Chlebowska and Maksymilian Chełkowski-Klasa.

Maritime traditions dating back to the interwar period

Although the #MorskaPG initiative is a contemporary program, the maritime traditions of Gdańsk University of Technology date back to the interwar period. Already in the 1920s, Polish students at Technische Hochschule Danzig were actively involved in maritime and shipbuilding circles. Organizations such as the Polish Academic Corporation "Helania" and the "Korab" Ship Technology Students’ Circle contributed to the development of maritime education in Gdańsk.

In 1932, the local branch of the Academic Maritime Association was established - the first such organization in Poland. Before World War II, more than 1,500 students from across the country participated in maritime camps and Baltic Sea training cruises. After 1945, these traditions continued at Gdańsk University of Technology, which became an important academic center supporting the reconstruction of Poland’s shipyards, ports and maritime industry.

A modern stage of maritime education development began in 2003 with the launch of the UNISAIL program by then-Rector Prof. Janusz Rachoń. Over time, the initiative evolved into the current "Sailing at GUT" program, under which more than 70 sailing and motorboat training courses have already been organized for nearly 1,000 students and university employees.

Sea as a laboratory for engineering innovation

One of the distinctive characteristics of Gdańsk University of Technology is the integration of sailing with engineering education.

Students have been designing and testing innovative maritime solutions directly on the water for years.

Projects developed at the university include:

• solar boats,
• autonomous maritime constructions,
• experimental propulsion systems,
• waterbike concepts,
• advanced marine engineering solutions.

A notable example was the Photon yacht laboratory, where students combined laboratory exercises with practical sailing experience.

The new facility in Sobieszewo is expected to further strengthen this approach, providing infrastructure for future research, testing and engineering projects connected with the maritime sector.

A new maritime hub for academia and industry

The opening of the Maritime Training Center in Sobieszewo marks a new chapter for Gdańsk University of Technology and its #MorskaPG strategy.

The investment creates a dedicated space where students, researchers, sailors and industry partners can work together on projects linked to the future of the maritime economy.

At a time when the maritime sector increasingly depends on knowledge, innovation and technological expertise, initiatives such as the Sobieszewo center may play a crucial role in developing the next generation of engineers and maritime specialists.

The university’s motto associated with the initiative - "Filii maris sumus. We are children of the sea" - is no longer only a reference to tradition.

In Sobieszewo, it has gained a very concrete operational dimension.

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