According to scientific research, the Baltic Sea has frozen many times in the past. The earliest records of freezing date back to the era of the Vikings, who traveled on the frozen sea. In the Middle Ages, freezing of the Baltic Sea was a common phenomenon that significantly affected trade and communication between the Baltic states. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the freezing of the Baltic Sea reached its peak. It was common for the ice to cover the entire sea, creating a solid surface that made it possible to travel on foot, by cart and even on horseback. This was an unusual phenomenon that attracted the attention of both locals and travelers from other parts of Europe [...]

As of January 1st 2024 Ship Owners and Managers of cargo vessels above 5,000 GT sailing to EU ports will be a subject of reporting and surrendering emissions allowances under EU Emission Trading System (EU ETS). For every 1 ton of reported CO2, European Union Allowance (EUA) must be purchased and submitted to the EU each year. The EU ETS is a market-based mechanism that has been in place since 2005 and which is designed to reduce GHG emissions from the power and industrial sectors. In brief, the ETS places a cap on the total amount of emissions that these sectors can produce and then issues allowances for these emissions that can be bought and sold on a carbon market. The system aims to create an economic incentive for companies to reduce their carbon emissions, as those that emit less than their allowance can sell their surplus allowances to those that emit more.[...]

In 2021, IMO VTS (Vessel Traffic Services) Guidelines were reviewed and updated after considering various organizational, operational, and technological changes that had taken place since 1997 when the previous version was issued. Governments around the globe have implemented VTS centers to communicate effectively with ships, quickly respond to developing situations and improve navigational safety. The VTS centers located in three Polish cities: Gdynia, Szczecin, and Slupsk, are first to greet all vessels calling at Polish ports. The organizational structure of VTS also includes a rescue (SAR) component with command centers in Gdynia and Swinoujscie.[...]

Aiming to protect the marine environment from the negative effects of waste from ships European Parliament and the Council (EU) legislated in 2019 a directive 83/2019 obliging member states ports to improve port reception facilities for waste from ships. As an alignment to above directive and respective local regulations that followed, Polish Ports introduced an amended system of fees for the reception and management of ship-generated waste, which are in force accordingly:  Port of Gdansk - 1st of September 2023,  Port of Gdynia - 1st October 2023,  Port of Szczecin-Swinoujscie - 14th September 2023. [...]

One of the essential parameters when planning employment for a vessel is the salinity level of the water at the destination. Salinity is usually measured in PSU (Practical Salinity Unit), which is a unit based on the conductivity properties of seawater. It is equivalent to a unit in thousand or g/kg. So 1 PSU = 1.001%. Based on the history of the formation of the Baltic Sea, we know that this basin has been a lake several times (the last time about 7,000 years ago), and if it were to be cut off from the ocean today, it would become a freshwater lake again. The reason for this is the positive water balance of the Baltic Sea, resulting from the excess of freshwater inflow over evaporation. Numerous rivers and rainfalls provide a constant supply of fresh water. In total, about 250 rivers drain into the Baltic Sea.[...]

Often, when we provide information on port restrictions, the question arises as to the meaning of the term "at mean water level 500"? I will answer this question briefly. To begin with, let us distinguish between water level and water depth: Water depth means the depth of the water between the surface and the seabed. Water level refers to the height or elevation of water above or below a reference point. It should be noted that water depth changes with changes in water level. Therefore, the water level serves as more practical information, assuming that the topography of the seabed in a given location remains stable over the longer term.[...]