The builder of Port of Gdynia celebrates his birthday

Gdynia celebrated the 158th birthday of port builder and designer Tadeusz Wenda. The event included a birthday cake, music from the inter-war period, dancing and quizzes. The Museum of the City of Gdynia has prepared a programme for a city walk-about in the footsteps of Tadeusz Wenda.

Gdynia City Council on the 95th anniversary of granting city rights and the 100th anniversary of the commencement of port construction, proclaimed 2021 to be the Year of Tadeusz Wenda. On this occasion, a number of events have been planned to commemorate the engineer and his contribution to the city.

On 29 May, a monument to the builder of Gdynia’s port was unveiled on Rybackie pier, at spur no. 1 in Arkadiusz Rybicki Street. This is where the fans of Tadeusz Wenda met on 23 July to celebrate his birthday. The reception was attended by the engineer’s granddaughter, Hanna Wenda-Uszyńska, and was held in a beautiful seaside setting. It is likely that the view of the Bay of Gdańsk was often admired by the engineer when he supervised work on the construction of the port.

There were also additional attractions provided by the Museum of the City of Gdynia. Guests could take part in a quiz testing their knowledge on the life of Tadeusz Wenda and in a walk around the city following in the engineer’s footsteps.

Throughout the year, the Museum of the City of Gdynia is committed to presenting the profile of this remarkable man. They also prepared a website dedicated to the engineerwww.TadeuszWenda.pl. They also developed a proposal for a city walk-about following in his footsteps. This is a great way to spend your leisure time and search for the mementoes of the engineer  in Gdynia. We will find out where the engineer lived at the time when he supervised the construction of the port, the route he took to get to work, and we will also learn about his subsequent workplace. The walk begins at Washington Street and ends at Morska Street. The entire route is 3.5 km long, so it is accessible for everyone. You can download the guide to the walkabout from the website and visit the places the engineer was associated with and where he walked. Many of them have changed dramatically since his time. New buildings have been erected in many places, as Sea City is now being built on land that was formerly occupied by the shipyard. On 14 August this year, it will be possible to walk this route with a group led by the creator of the guide to the walk-about – Dawid Gajos accompanied by Dagmara Płaza-Opacka. You will probably be able to discover many interesting facts about Tadeusz Wenda and his beautiful adventure with Gdynia.

photo/www.gdynia.pl/Magdalena Śliżewska

Polboat Yachting Festival comes to Gdynia for the second time

More than 60 luxury vessels such as sailing yachts, houseboats, speedboats or water scooters can be admired until 21 July this year at the Gdynia Marina Yacht Park. It is a unique opportunity to see cutting edge vessels built in Polish and foreign shipyards. This is already the second edition of the exclusive industry event Polboat Yachting Festival.

Last year’s edition of the festival attracted many spectators. This year the organizers have considerably expanded the scope of the event, the spectators will also be able to see more vessels. Polish manufacturers and distributors will present the latest range on offer by the yachting industry during the exhibition. The event is a highlight for those outside the industry, as it provides an opportunity to view and inspect craft that only their owners enjoy on a daily basis.

– Last year we had 40 vessels, this year there are more than 60. This shows that the second edition is heading in the right direction – says Sebastian Nietupski, President of the Polish Chamber of Yachting and Watersports Industry [Polska Izba Przemysłu Jachtowego i Sportów Wodnych], Polskie Jachty. – We are glad, that we can also be here together with the city of Gdynia and the Polish Yachting Association – he adds.

At this year’s Festival, as many as seven debut vessels will be showcased: Maxus 34, Galeon 325 GTO, Saxdor 320, Nimbus T8, Flipper 900 DC, Wave 50, Cranchi T36 Crossover. As part of the #ZostańWodniakiem campaign, visitors will be able to take part in free sailboat and speedboat cruises. Those who sign up in advance via the festival website will be able to get on board the yachts and explore their interiors.

– An extremely prestigious event which also demonstrates that the Polish yacht manufacturing industry ranks among the best in the world. Today we produce boats that are exported all over the world, and the Polish manufacturers’ brand is outstanding – comments Wojciech Szczurek, the President of Gdynia.

The organizers have also made a provision for those who cannot come to Gdynia in person to participate in the event. Contact with exhibitors will be available in the form of a virtual tour using VR technology.
The Polboat Yachting Festival will be concluded with a spectacular parade. The yachts and boats on display will depart from the Presidents’ Basin, arrange themselves in formation and sail towards Sopot.

photo: www.gdynia.pl

Maritime history of Gdynia

Guided by a professional photographer, the participants of the open-air photographic workshop “Gdynia Maritime Legend Trail” were on the lookout for perfect camera shots. The photographic walk-about was part of the Sea Festival celebrations and preceded this year’s edition of the competition “Legenda Morska w Obiektywie” [Maritime Legend in a Lens].

The municipal self-government cultivates the city’s relationship with the sea. Many of the city residents have devoted their lives to the sea, and there are multi-generational families of seamen, sailors, port and shipyard workers. Every year Gdynia hosts the Gdynia Maritime Economy Forum, where industry representatives discuss the directions for growth and the opportunities in this sector. The maritime character of the city is also evident in its buildings and architecture. The city’s most iconic buildings follow the streamlined ship design. The new architectural projects being developed in the city centre and the Sea City are also inspired by nautical elements.
Every year, the city hosts lavish Sea Festival celebrations. One of its regular features is the photographic walk-about, which gives participants the opportunity to take unique photos of maritime Gdynia. It is a chance to take a peek at places that are not accessible to passers-by on a daily basis. This year, amateur photographers visited the historic interiors of the Klub Marynarki Wojennej “Riwiera” [the “Riwiera” Navy Club] and the grounds of Dalmor, located by the Fishing Pier, together with the historic cold stores. They also had the opportunity to take a ride in the motorboat of the “Junga” Sailing School and take photos of the city while onboard.
Photography enthusiasts are looking forward to the next “Maritime Legend in a Lens” competition, which will be announced soon. The photography competition takes place every year and is open to both professional and amateur photographers. As usual, photographs can be entered in several categories. This year’s edition of the competition was revealed by Jacek Debis, director of strategic projects at the Gdynia Development Agency, the organiser of the competition.

– Traditionally, we will be accepting competition photographs in categories such as ‘Maritime Detail’, ‘Sea Panorama’, ‘Work at Sea’ and ‘Sea Holidays’. But there will also be a new category – ‘Tales of the Sea’, i.e. a maritime reportage from Gdynia, the port or from the deck of a ship – 3–5 photographs telling the story of people, events, ships, vessels, life at sea. Photography lovers, set the course for Gdynia! – says Jacek Debis.

photo:  Przemysław Kozłowski

Sea Festival 2021

This year the City of Gdynia is celebrating the “Sea Festival” with great gusto. The events and festivities will run for over a week and they begin today. The programme includes a sailing parade, planetarium shows, a family game and concerts. The events will be accompanied by a Maritime Fair and Sailing Championships and many other attractions. So let us celebrate together.

The Sea Festival traditionally begins with the commemoration of the seamen whohave departed to the eternal watch. Bouquets of flowers will be released from the deck of the „Controller-20” into the waters of the bay to commemorate the fallen. The history of the Sea Festival dates back to 1932, when it was celebrated for the first time. It was attended by the President of the Republic of Poland, Ignacy Mościcki. The pre-war tradition of celebrating Poland’s relationship with the sea, which was a key driver of the local economy years ago and was the main impetus for the city’s dynamic development, was revisited in 2013.

This year the celebrations begin on 18 June and end on 27 June. The Sea Festival cannot be held without sailing events. Sailing Yacht Race for the Polish Navy Cup, as well as the II World Polonia Sailing Championships. The St. John’s Day Sailing Parade is likely to attract many spectators. On 26 June, the official opening of the 2021 Pomeranian sailing season will be celebrated, combined with the unveiling of the commemorative plaques of Henryk Jaskuła and Andrzej Rościszewski. On Sunday, 27 June, a renewal of a boat christening ceremony will be held for the ORP „Błyskawica”, which will be attended by the daughters of Mrs Cecylia Raczyńska, the ship’s godmother.

Attractions for residents will start as early as Saturday, when the official launch of the Summer #inGdynia will take place. A Gdynia na fali [Gdynia on the wave] zone will be set up on the Seaside Boulevard. At 17:00, the Festival’s opening concert will begin at the Gdynia Concert Shell. The Gdynia Film Centre has also prepared many attractions for the fans of cinema. Jarmark Morski [Maritime Fair] will be held in Kościuszki Square. Craftsmen, handicraftsmen and artists will present handmade items for sale. There will also be an opportunity to sample regional and exotic baked goods and snacks. On 26 June there will be a vintage car parade organised by the Automobilklub Morski and an exhibition of vintage cars set up in front of the Naval Museum.
The Sea Festival will also feature restaurateurs from the Culinary Trail of the Gdynia City Centre, who have prepared a special Sea Festival menu with fish from the Baltic Sea.

A detailed schedule of the Sea Festival celebrations is available HERE.

Three cities – one destination

Pomorska Regionalna Organizacja Turystyczna [Pomorskie Regional Tourist Organisation] launched a promotional campaign of the Tricity – “Three cities, one destination”. Each of these cities has its own distinct character and provides tourists with a different experience. Together they create a unique atmosphere.

The unusual arrangement of the three adjoining cities is a great asset of the Tricity, a feature that has been accentuated in the new promotional campaign. Instead of one holiday destination, you can enjoy three of them simultaneously. The Tricity with its unusual location provides tourists with many experiences, and each city offers different attractions. Each town also has a slightly different character, although all of them share the same seaside location. Gdańsk, promoting the image of itself as a city that is open onto the world, attracts with its rich history. However, Gdańsk also delights with new, fashionable venues, modern architecture which complements the historical buildings, and a rich cultural and sports activities offering. Sopot, for over than a century regarded as one of the most fashionable seaside resorts, attracts tourists longing for walks along the sweeping expanse of sandy beaches, for the atmosphere of seaside towns, small cosy pubs and cafes and the constant murmur of the sea. Gdynia, the youngest of the three – a city born of the sea and dreams, with its distinctive modernist architecture, full of green parks and happy residents.
At the beginning of the summer season, the Pomorska Regionalna Organizacja Turystyczna (PROT) released a video clip promoting the 3 cities: Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot. The video was shot by the Poland By Locals team and the Smooth Ads Studio, and the song was written especially for the campaign by the band Lady Killer, in collaboration with Piotr Spychała and Arkadiusz Tyda.

“The underlying concept of the campaign is to present Tricity as a place where residents enjoy a high standard of living and to provide some ideas for leisure time activities throughout the year. With this campaign and video we wish to demonstrate how much Gdańsk, Sopot and Gdynia have to offer jointly – at least three times as much as anywhere else” – explains PROT on its website.

The video clip shows distinctive landmarks in the Tricity area, as well as a new Tricity mural, a project which is currently underway, and which can be seen at 295 Grunwaldzka Avenue in Gdańsk. The graphic effects were created by a Gdańsk artist Piotr “Tuse” Jaworski.
The campaign is aimed at the younger audiences and therefore all communication will be conducted on social media. Advertising banners and posts will redirect to the website www.trojmiasto.pomorskie.travel that will feature the tourist deals of PROT’s partners, competition forms and event maps. The first competition is already open for entries and here the participants will be asked to describe their favourite spot in the Tricity which has not been included in the promotional video. The most interesting description will be rewarded with a voucher to the value of PLN 600, to be redeemed at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Gdańsk.

The Ocean Race Europe Prologue in Gdynia

Four ocean-going VO65 class yachts could be seen competing in Gdynia. The boats taking part in the first leg of The Ocean Race Europe Prologue arrived in Gdynia from Klaipeda. The crews were stationed here for three days, during which they held four inshore races for the Mayor of Gdynia Cup within the Bay of Gdańsk.

The boats departed from Klaipeda on 10 May, starting their first leg of The Ocean Race Europe Prologue. Four crews took part in the race – Lithuania’s Ambersail 2, Team Childhood 1 from the Netherlands, Ocean Racing Team from Austria and a Polish team from Sailing Poland. The Polish crew was the first to arrive in the port of Gdynia. The battle for second place went on until the very end. Finally, the Lithuanian yacht Ambersail2 won it. During their three-day stay in Gdynia, the vessels also competed in four inshore races for the Mayor of Gdynia Cup, which also went to the Sailing Poland crew.

– This is a momentous event in the history of Gdynia and Polish sailing. This is the first time that the high-speed racing yachts VO65 have arrived in our city – comments Tomasz Chamera, the President of the Polish Sailing Association and Vice-President of World Sailing. And he adds: – We, as the Polish Sailing Association, will always support such initiatives. This is a great promotion, which helps to make sailing more popular, especially among young sailors, who can gain experience from veterans of transoceanic racing and, above all, have fun with sailing, proving to themselves and others that this is a great sports activity for developing a wide range of skills.

Marek Łucyk, Deputy Mayor of Gdynia for Development, pointed out the city’s close ties with sailing.

– I am proud that once again we can host such excellent sailors and a top-class regatta in Gdynia. I appreciate the great commitment of all those who have contributed to the success, which is undoubtedly the creation of such a strong Polish race crew and getting a yacht, that is closely associated with our city, ready for competition. Knowing the professionalism and perseverance of Mr Tomasz Chamera, the President, I am convinced that a lot of good things are still in store for us, as far as sailing and Gdynia are concerned – he added.

The crews left Gdynia on 12 May, thus completing the Gdańsk Bay leg of the race. The yachts set off for Stockholm, passing the turning point marker buoy in Sopot on the way. The route of The Ocean Race Europe Prologue continued through Cascais, Alicante and on to Genoa, where the yachts arrived on 13 June. The regatta is a prelude to the European leg of the world’s toughest fully crewed circumnavigation race, which starts on 27 May in Lorient, France.

photo: The Ocean Race Prologue Gdynia /// fot. M.Urbaniak/gdyniasport.pl

Let’s explore Gdynia

Where to go for a walk, what to see, what exhibitions to visit and what dishes to try. A new city guide to Gdynia that promises to unveil the wonders of the city is now available. Residents will also benefit from practical suggestions for interesting leisure activities in the city.

The new “Przewodnik po Gdyni [Gdynia city guide]” is available in Polish and English. It was prepared in two interactive versions – for mobile devices and for the computer. The publication provides links next to the described places and events, which take you directly to the website, Facebook profile or location on Google Maps. The publication will also be published in a printed version.
The guidebook describes 12 of Gdynia’s most important attractions. It also includes tips for exploring the city over the weekend. Two routes were prepared which can be completed in one day. If someone would like to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, Gdynia offers many such opportunities. Beautiful beaches, mysterious cliffs and moraine hills of the Tri-City Landscape Park and numerous parks encourage relaxation. Gdynia is also tempting from the culinary point of view. Restaurants offer dishes from virtually every part of the world. There will also be plenty of regional Kashubian dishes prepared in a contemporary style.

– “Przewodnik po Gdyni [Gdynia city guide]” is the latest in a new series of publications promoting the city. The items we recommended include some of the greatest Gdynia attractions as well as lesser-known symbols of maritime Gdynia and plenty of interesting facts that will give you a fresh perspective on the city. One could not fail to mention the Kashubian roots of Gdynia or the ‘ships on land’, namely the pearls of Gdynia’s modernism. Gdynia also has kilometres of beautiful, sandy beaches and magnificent forests, which constitute 46% of its area, and as many as four nature reserves, which is why we particularly encourage people to actively use the educational paths, the walking and cycling trails or visit the Forest Botanical Garden in Marszewo – said Katarzyna Gruszecka-Spychała, the Deputy Mayor of Gdynia for Economy.

The guide tells us what makes Gdynia special and what makes the city highly rated in rankings assessing the quality of life. The city also offers many attractions for the youngsters, so families will find plenty of ideas for entertaining their children. Older visitors will probably be interested in the extensive cultural offer and the list of the most important recurrent events organised in the city. Gdynia hosts cultural events that are known nationwide and abroad, and which annually attract many visitors to the city. But the city also creates excellent conditions for the development of entrepreneurship, with a thriving service sector for business. The publication moreover includes plenty of practical information on how to get around the city as well as some useful contacts. A major asset of the guide are the beautiful photographs and the modern graphic design, consistent with previous publications about the city. The publication also includes a mention of the Śródmieście Morskie/Sea City as one of the most important investments in the city.

It is really well worth taking a walk around Gdynia with a Guide.

Gdynia’s Green ferry terminal

A new ferry terminal, equipped to receive large cruise ships, located at the Polish Quay in Gdynia will be ready in June, Port of Gdynia Authority has announced. An additional advantage of the new investment is the possibility to supply ships with electricity while at berth. The Port of Gdynia is the first in Poland to introduce this innovative system, thus following the „green port” principle.

This is the largest investment the Port has made in 50 years. The historic Polish Quay was demolished and replaced by a new quay with the necessary infrastructure. The terminal building has already been constructed, as well as a ramp for mooring vessels with a length of up to 240 m, which is the target size for ferries serviced on the Baltic market. The first ships will be able to enter the Port in September this year.

Vessels remaining in the harbour will be powered by electricity, so that the engines can be turned off, which will reduce noise levels, eliminate vibrations, but above all will have a positive impact on air quality. Indeed, studies have shown that 10 hours of electricity use in port by a large cruise ship reduces emissions of CO2 by 22 tonnes, nitrogen oxides by 1.4 tonnes and sulphur oxides by 1.2 tonnes.
This technology was first used in 2004 at the Port of Los Angeles in the United States. The system is already in place in the Swedish ports of Karlskrona, Gothenburg and Stockholm. This year, this ecological solution will also be applied in Gdynia.

– A thriving business combined with care for the environment is nowadays a standard which attracts new customers. When making strategic investments, we must not forget about the surrounding environment. The construction of the Public Terminal in Gdynia is a large-scale undertaking, which we are implementing as part of sustainable development – comments Adam Meller, President of the Management Board of the Port of Gdynia Authority.

The shore-side power supply for the vessels will have a capacity of up to 3.5 MW, thus allowing the ferry’s batteries to be recharged quickly without the need to turn on the diesel engines. The Gdynia port will also be able to receive vessels with full electric propulsion.
The Port of Gdynia is a base node of the trans-European TEN-T network and a category A port. It is one of the two Polish seaports that is linked to Sweden by the Gdynia-Karlskrona Motorway. It plays a key role in the Baltic-Adriatic corridor and is one of the 9 key Transport Corridors of the TEN-T network.

The location of the Public Ferry Terminal at the Polish Quay will provide a connection to the most important local and national roads, which are an important element of the transport corridor for international trade. The value of the investment is approximately PLN 292 million, of which the EU co-financing amounts to PLN 116,837,137.67.

Photo: Tadeusz Urbaniak / www.port.gdynia.pl / mat. prasowe

The construction of the second stage of the Waterfront complex in Gdynia to begin

Vastint Poland is about to start the construction of another stage of the Waterfront complex. The investor has signed a general contractor agreement for the first part with Budimex SA. Four buildings with an underground garage will be erected at ul. Hryniewickiego, close to Kościuszko Square.

The investment planned is a continuation of the first stage of the Waterfront complex commissioned in 2015, consisting of two buildings accommodating offices/hotel functions, located directly next to Nabrzeże Prezydenta. The existing buildings will be extended by an additional 80,000 square meters of residential, office, and commercial space. The first stage of works is to commence soon in May. Four buildings covering a total area of 45,000 square meters are to be built first. The works will start with developing a section of the plot next to ul. Hryniewickiego, saving the access road to the Marriott Hotel from ul. Jana Pawła II.

Along ul. Waszyngtona, two office buildings with 14,500 square meters of leasable area, whereas two residential buildings, which will accommodate 126 residential and commercial premises, will be constructed and situated behind them. The general contractor plans to commence basic construction works in May 2021. The investment is scheduled to be finished in 2023.

An office building, commercial premises, two hotels with conference space, and various public and cultural facilities, including a cinema with eight screening rooms, will be built during the next stage. A publicly-accessible square adjacent to Skwer Kościuszko, where public life will be conducted, is a crucial development element. The entire complex will be supplemented by urban green space, which will add a coastal vibe and emphasize the diversity of the project’s functional zones. The investor is to finish designing this part of the complex in the upcoming months.

Gdynia takes care of the environment

Gdynia has committed itself to improving the condition of its environment, i.e. caring for air and water quality, waste management, combating noise pollution and supporting biodiversity. It was the first city in Poland to join the Green City Accord, a European initiative committing cities to improve their environment.

The Green City Accord is an initiative set up in October 2020 by the European Commission to encourage cities across Europe to care for the environment and to adopt the same high environmental standards. The Green City Accord is an agreement whereby local authorities voluntarily commit to taking action towards achieving a clean environment. The signatories commit to designing cities where residents breathe clean air, enjoy clean water, have access to green spaces and where they are not exposed to high volumes of noise pollution. Closed-loop waste management is also among the priorities.

– The ideas behind the Green City Accord are one of our priorities for urban management. We are therefore the first in Poland to join this agreement of European local governments. Today, urban development must involve being open to innovation, implementing solutions that protect nature and the climate. Caring for the environment, especially in urban areas, is one of the greatest challenges facing us and future generations. The fact that development must go hand in hand with ecology was noted years ago. In Gdynia, we pay attention to how to conduct urban initiatives and investments and design new spaces with the local environment in mind. We carry out stormwater management, conduct thermal performance upgrades of buildings, support and promote renewable energy sources as well as conduct educational projects for children. We are not afraid of an innovative approach that will have a positive influence on our environment – says Michał Guć, Gdynia’s Deputy Mayor for Innovation.

So far, more than 20 European cities have signed the Green City Accord, including Oslo (Norway), Lahti, Turku and Helsinki (Finland), Lille (France), Zaragoza (Spain), Braga (Portugal) or Cesena (Italy). Gdynia is the first city in Poland to formulate ambitious environmental goals in collaboration with them in the coming years. Thanks to this partnership, Gdynia will be able to benefit from the experience of other local governments and count on their support, as well as gain access to technical expertise and to new project financing opportunities.

In recent years Gdynia has implemented many pro-ecological projects that improve the quality of the environment in the city. In the interest of air quality, the local government has for years been carrying out the process of phasing out the coal-fired boilers in municipal buildings and premises, as well as providing subsidies for the installation of low-emission heat sources in private facilities. Gdynia residents can also benefit from subsidies for the installation of renewable energy sources. Thermal performance upgrades of municipal buildings are carried out periodically. The local government is also investing in a modern and zero-emission fleet for Gdynia’s public transport. For several years, the local government has been consistently introducing green areas into the city. Wildflower meadows, pocket gardens, rain gardens, green roofs, green pedestrian walkways or hydrophytic plant ponds are being established. Residents can obtain funds from the city grants scheme to establish rain gardens. An innovative project was the establishment of a municipal apiary on the roof of the Gdynia City Hall building at al. Marszałka Piłsudskiego, and the “Birds are welcome in Gdynia” campaign is an annual environmental education project for the city residents thanks to which more nesting boxes and bird feeders are built every year.
The Green City Accord initiative is implemented by a consortium comprising Eurocities, ICLEI and the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) with financial support from the European Union.

fot. mat. prasowy / ec.europa.eu