The Pomeranian economy is in the lead among the Polish Voivodeships. It is characterised by superior export per capita. It is third among 16 voivodeships when it comes to revenue growth dynamism and the fourth place in profitability of businesses. Its economy has always been associated with the Sea, ship building and repair, and port operation services. Over 80% of all containers coming to Poland via sea routes pass the port in Gdynia. Last years have been marked by resilient development of boat building: both state-of-the-art yachts, as well as replicas of medieval boats are being created in small shipyards. Seaside recreation is a significant source of income here. Since the beginning of the system transformation, foreign companies have invested around 3 billion USD in the Pomorskie Voivodeship (the data does not cover foreign capital in banking and financial institutes). American, German, Scandinavian, Dutch and French capitals have invested most. The investors are focused on electronics, paper production, food products, furniture, means of transport, cosmetics and packaging. Foreign capital also develops shopping centres. After the entry of Poland into the European Union, interest among foreign investors in our region has been systematically growing.
High technologies develop and change the market. There are two technology parks and two special economic zones in the Pomorskie Voivodeship where plants producing electronic components and modern pharmaceutical companies operate. Small Silicon Valley is being created at the suburbs of Gdańsk with headquarters of such companies like Satel (producer of alarm systems, Young Digital Planet producer of multimedia equipment and research and development centre of Intel Technology Poland. DGT Company, a reputable producer of state-of-the-art systems of communication, is operating near Gdańsk.
Maritime economy
The port of the Three-City (Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot) consecutively modernise their loading/unloading, warehouse and logistic potential. Globalisation means that we witness the unprecedented growth of international trade. Transportation accessibility of our ports is improving thanks to the built A-1 motorway and modernization of the E-65 and CE-65 railway lines. The latest information on starting a navigation line of the Mearsk Company in the Deepwater Container Terminal of Gdańsk for regular transcontinental traffic with China slowly converts Gdańsk from a feeder port into an ocean port. However, to reach this goal it is necessary to increase efforts in building large logistic centres nearby our ports. Management of the Pomeranian maritime economy is the key issue when it comes to the state of the maritime industry in Pomerania. New challenges of global development trends (decentralization of authorities and decline of economic instruments of national states) and practices of the western states confirm however that the new maritime economy requires a chain-like, decentralization and horizontal management (todays nomenclature calls it a cluster). It is communes and regions that should increase their initiative in creating development conditions for maritime economy, improve its innovativeness and entrepreneurship; take advantage of the fact that the transportation, loading/unloading and production (shipyard property) infrastructure is located on their area. While the tasks of the communes administration include the issue of spatial planning, the local government authorities of the seaside voivodeships are responsible for economic development by preparing their strategies and regional operational programs. Therefore, the local government of the Pomorskie Voivodeship makes efforts in favour of maritime economy development. A postulate on balanced development of the maritime economy sector in the Pomeranian Region, raising its competitiveness and innovativeness lies in the competences of the Economic Development Department.
Gryf Gospodarczy Pomeranian Prize
The contest awarded with the Gryf Gospodarczy Pomeranian Prize has been organised every year since 2000 and the statue of the Gryf Gospodarczy is one of the most reputable regional business prizes granted by economic government organisations and the authorities of the Pomorskie Voivodeship. The aim of the contest is to promote entrepreneurship and businesses of the Pomorskie Voivodeship by presenting and promoting companies which have a positive impact on business development image. It also promotes laureates of the contest by recommending them for countrywide prizes and awards, engages the business sector in a broad co-operation with local governments and initiates positive competition between businesses. Zbigniew Canowiecki is the author and the initiator of this contest and the Chairman of the Pomeranian Council of Entrepreneurship. The Pomeranian Council of Entrepreneurship is the organizer of the contest and serves as an advisor for the Marshal of the Pomorskie Voivodeship on entrepreneurship support.
Pomeranian Metropolitan Railway
Construction of the Pomeranian Metropolitan Railway line is the most important and the biggest transportation project of the Pomorskie Voivodeship. Its purpose is to raise the level of social and economic cohesion of the Pomorskie Voivodeship thanks to the system of regional railway and the integrated system of public transportation of the Three-City metropolis. The project mainly covers the agglomeration area of the Three-City and the adjacent districts (Bytów, Kościerzyna and Kartuzy). The existing areas of the former railway line and sections of PKP-administrated regional railway lines with low traffic will be used for the Pomeranian Metropolitan Railway. The first stage of investments (The Pomeranian Metropolitan Railway stage I revitalisation of the Kokoszkowska Railway) plans a reconstruction of the regional railway network. It means a revitalisation of the Kokoszkowska Railway, closed since 1945, construction of the section connecting the southern districts of Gdańsk with the airport in Rębiechów, as well as the Gdynia Kościerzyna railway line. The planned solution will open the metropolis to the Kashuby Region giving access to Kartuzy, Kościerzyna or Bytów, and facilitate and considerably accelerate travel from the voivodeship to the Three-City. The Pomeranian Metropolitan Railway is planned to operate in 2015.
The Loop of Żuławy
The authorities of the Pomorskie and the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeships, local governments and other partners (Regional Management of Water Economy in Gdańsk) have started revitalisation of the local water routes. Connection of the Vistula River Delta with the European water routes will crown the works. Development program of water routes of the Vistula River Delta and the Vistula Lagoon, executed since 2010 with the Pomeranian Region as the leader, contributes to it. The Loop of Żuławy development of water tourism. The 1st stage Project is the effect of the current works. The project covers the area of Żuławy and the Vistula Lagoon with the Vistula Spit, i.e. a total of 11 communes and one district in the Pomorskie and the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship. The authors of the Żuławy Loop want to create a unique network of high standard ports, yachting marinas, and mooring jetties. The network will attract water sport enthusiasts and tourists to the Pomeranian Region. New yachting marinas will be created in Braniewo, Nowa Pasłęka and Malbork. A draw bridge will be built by the lock in Przegalin. Travellers on water can take advantage of the mooring jetties in Tczew and Drewnica.
Source: The Marshal Office of the Pomorskie Voivodeship in Gdańsk