Gdynia Maritime University GMU

On 15th June 2021, the Gdynia Maritime University signed a contract with the company Budimex S. A for the construction of an “Innovative Centre of marine environment research laboratories for the offshore industry”.

The investment is being carried out as part of the Regional Operational Program of Pomerania for the years 2014-2020 and is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund. European Union subsidies for the project amount to 17 857 770,23 PLN.

The construction of the GMU Centre for the Offshore Industry in Gdansk on Robert de Plelo street is one of the investments included in the strategic objectives of the University for the period 2020-2024. GMU has for years been a leader in the Polish offshore market in environmental research, as well as environmental, geophysical, geological and geotechnical research for maritime investments, especially concerning wind power.

Recognising the need for increasing the proportion of renewable energy sources in the context of climate goals, in addition to meeting the needs connected with activities in this area, Gdynia Maritime University planned the construction of the GMU Centre for the Offshore Industry, which will become an indispensable research and education facility for the national offshore wind power sector. The assumption is that the Centre will create a local Polish supply chain for the offshore industry. The Centre has the potential to become the nucleus of the larger organism which is the “Polish Offshore Valley”.

A key attribute of the Centre’s location is direct access to the Wisłoujście coast, which allows the University and its contractors to berth and perform maintenance on research, training, and service ships.

The GMU Centre for the Offshore Industry, which is part of the process of the preparation and realisation of investment in offshore wind power, will house the certified laboratories of the GMU’s Maritime Institute. These include the Geotechnical Laboratory of the Faculty of Marine Geotechnics, the Laboratory of the Faculty of Environmental Protection (chemical analysis), and the Marine Electronics Laboratory (environmental risk monitoring).

The construction of the GMU Centre for the Offshore Industry will allow for the undertaking of comprehensive, specialist research and development work for the needs of the innovative maritime industry. GMU is currently the only research and development unit in the country to carry out such work.

The value of the investment, including the equipment, is estimated at 50m PLN.

The contractor was chosen by open tender on 22.02.2021 and work is due to be completed by March 2023.