Development of Polish ferry shipping in the period of economic and political changes

Abstract

Economic and political change, which took place in the former European "socialist bloc" countries in the 1990s deeply influences the economy of Poland in addition to its economic relations with other countries. However Poland, as a relatively large market mostly because of its geographical position in central Europe and its position on the North-South Route, has been highly affected by the results of these changes, in particular. Amongst these changes, many of the results have been the determinants of the present and future condition of the Polish ferry shipping industry. The industry has been mostly concerned with the enterprises in the sector, which have had to respond to new economic, legal and financial conditions. In parallel to this aspect, the potential of the new economic and political situation in the Baltic Sea region together with the integration of Baltic Europe leading to interesting possibilities of ferry shipping links between the Scandinavian countries and Central and Eastern Europe have required Polish ferry operators to consider the effects. Consequently, this paper concentrates upon the development of the Polish ferry shipping industry in the period of economic and political changes after the 1990s.