The research vessel "Oceania" did not set sail due to a crew employment dispute

"Oceania" is a sailing vessel owned by the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IO PAN), built in 1985 at the Gdańsk Shipyard. IO PAN is Poland’s largest institute studying the issues of marine physics, chemistry, biology, and ecology. The ship has unlimited range and autonomy of 30 days. Annually, "Oceania" spends about 250 days at sea, undertaking Arctic research expeditions and numerous Baltic voyages.

At the end of January, the ship’s crew members received termination notices. IO PAN Director, Professor Jan Marcin Węsławski, stated in a letter to the labor union that the dismissals concern 13 employees due to "changes in the employer’s organizational structure, resulting in the elimination of positions." He indicated that these changes are necessary to streamline financial management and reduce expenses, including through a reduction in staffing levels.

Professor Węsławski emphasized that the terminated employees worked on the research vessel s/y Oceania, which is maintained through a government grant intended for maintaining scientific equipment. According to the director, the institute requested over 30 million PLN, including 12 million PLN for wages over three years, but the Ministry of Science allocated only 24 million PLN. As a result, the ship, which previously spent 180-200 days at sea annually, will now spend only 110 days. Węsławski described the decision to reduce staffing and change employment policies as essential and justified.

Sebastian Szymanek, a mechanic on the "Oceania," stated that previously, the entire crew was employed under standard employment contracts governed by a collective labor agreement. Typically, the crew consisted of 16 people, but two positions were vacated recently: one due to retirement and another due to parental leave. In late January, 9 out of the remaining 13 employees received termination notices, while others were on sick leave.

A labor inspection carried out in 2024 following a crew member’s accident revealed that the previous employment arrangement violated the updated labor laws, particularly regarding rest periods. The inspection results necessitated changes to the employment system to comply with statutory working time norms both at sea and in port.

Due to new legal requirements, the institute proposed a shift system (two weeks at sea followed by two weeks of rest), which would necessitate doubling the crew. However, this would increase costs and reduce working hours, making the arrangement financially unfeasible.

The institute offered terminated employees B2B contracts as a legal and financially viable alternative, but some crew members have already refused and sought employment elsewhere. The dispute has resulted in the cancellation of the planned Baltic Sea voyage from April 1 to 9.

Professor Węsławski noted that the crew must possess maritime qualifications and sailing vessel experience, which makes finding replacements challenging. The ongoing dispute and lack of crew might prevent "Oceania" from setting sail in April as planned.