Dear Mrs Minister, Guests, Colleagues and the
First Year Students of the Maritime University of Szczecin.

We are in Wały Chrobrego, the most beautiful place of the marine Szczecin. It takes only about 40 miles to get from here to the Baltic Sea by the water way. In a moment, at the Maritime University, you will start the next stage of your education, the most significant one,- I suppose!.

There have been others here before you. The history of the marine education in Szczecin began 62 years ago at Piastow street. In Waly Chrobrego students dressed up in navy blue uniforms appeared for the first time in 1962, after the State Deep Sea Fishing School had been established and a year later a new State Maritime School was set up. The two maritime schools merged to form the maritime school of higher education (WSM), where the students started their education exactly 40 years ago. In 2004 WSM changed its name for the Maritime University of Szczecin. Over the period of time thousands of seafarers have completed the Szczecin maritime schools, among them master mariners, engineers, specialists in navigation, port and transport operation, experts and counselors and even shipping ministers. You can join the group and also become one of them!

The Maritime University operates on three faculties: Navigational, Marine Engineering and Transport Engineering and Economics. BSc and MSc full time and extramural studies are run in seven fields covering altogether 23 courses. Marine Rescue Training Center, Marine Officers’ Training Center, Inland Shipping Center and other indispensable institutions operating within the Maritime University cater for the needs of the maritime education. The University possesses up – to – date didactic facilities comprising over 90 laboratories and a number of subjects are taught in various types of modern simulators. A significant supplement of the teaching aids is the m/s “Nawigator XXI”, a modern research/ training vessel, just being berthed to the quay.

From the next academic year two new fields comprising 7 courses strictly connected with the maritime economy such as marine IT, sea and inland transport, off-shore units operation, marine mechatronics and eco-logistics are to be opened. During the educational process we satisfy the requirements of compliance with IMO standards and the MU diplomas are recognized all over the world.

Ladies and gentlemen, dear students!

For several years the EU policy has been determining the priorities concerning maritime economy with the maritime education being taken special care after as well as high demands set before. In cooperation with the Polish Naval Academy of Gdynia we are intending to establish European Center of Marine Education catering for the needs of the whole Europe. Due to the already existing Center of Marine Traffic Engineering and the Oils and Fuels Research Laboratory it has already been initiated. Moreover, it is intended to establish „Polish Center of Marine Rescue” and „Center of Staff Training for LNG and LPG gas carriers”. Now we have been in the process of building the Center of Baltic Fishing Training.”