enhancing the competitiveness of economy, social capital activity, sustainable transport and developed IT networks, sustainable management of natural resources and the level of the residents’ quality of life.
Conclusions 1. The revival of waterside areas is a task that could take several generations, requiring the development of a long-term action strategy, well thought-out land use plans, regular financial outlays and human resources, often reaching beyond the local-government terms of office and legislative periods. 2. The effective use of the potential of waterside areas should be based on the experience and exchange of knowledge between cities (for example Esbjerg, Wrocław). 3. The false assumption that a river is an obstacle to a city’s development should be changed. Rivers and waterside areas are an opportunity for implementing numerous valuable undertakings e.g. in the field of improving or creating new alternative means of transport. A river might reduce the load on road ransport links and minimise the restraints caused by old infrastructure in an excellent way. The traditional supply of goods via a waterway is used worldwide and helps to avoid the construction of burdensome road infrastructure, especially on islands. The public waterway transport is a good alternative for land traffic. 4. It is necessary to promote a closer cooperation between local governments and private investors in order to stimulate the increase in investment in waterside areas. 5. It is necessary to create conditions stimulating the creation of innovative ideas and the transfer of knowledge between entrepreneurs and scientific communities. 6. Cities need to invest in improving their infrastructure, facilitating access to ports and making port cities more attractive as tourist destinations for cruise ships. Better infrastructure will make ports and cities more attractive to tourists. A growing number of clients interested in this form of holiday and a significant number of regular cruise participants requires us to search for new holiday destinations, which also brings opportunities for less popular ports.
Proposed measures 1. It is necessary to create a comprehensive plan indicating the strategic development directions for waterside areas and defining the prospective capabilities of using the potential of the Oder River to promote its city-forming and region-forming functions. 2. The city should be proactive in supporting actions and projects aimed at promoting various forms of activity by the Oder River, including the definition of the future potential of the Oder, rebuilding the existing river and port infrastructure and its adjustment to accommodate new objectives, the construction of new river infrastructure, the introduction of new legal regulations facilitating the use of waterside areas for purposes other than purely transport purposes – e.g. housing (resolving the issue of utilities connection, ownership rights and granting and securing loans).
Panel III
Shipping security and protection Moderated by: Jacek Wiśniewski, Managing Director of Euroafrica Services Limited, Polish Branch Debate participants: Philip Burns – Deputy Director at West of England Insurance Services S.A. Roman Woźniak, President of the Polish Ocean Lines Rear admiral Czesław Dyrcz, Visiting Professor at the PNA, the Polish Naval Academy in Gdynia, Brigadier General Gromosław Czempiński, the Head of the Office of State Protection between 1993 and 1996. The third panel consisted of four presentations: Illegal immigration and piracy as challenges for international shipping – Roman Woźniak, Piracy and insurance coverage – Philip Burns,