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The event marked 30 years since the launch of Stena Line Gdynia–Karlskrona ferry route—a vital connection that has helped build economic, logistical, and cultural exchange between Poland and Sweden.
The conference gathered a large group of participants, including industry leaders, commerce organisations, government and port officials, highlighting the strategic importance of the route not just for local development but for European transport and trade. The opening session featured remarks from His Excellency Ambassador of Sweden to Poland, Andreas von Beckerath, who underscored the long-standing friendship and cooperation between the two nations. Aleksandra Kosiorek, Mayor of Gdynia, also addressed the audience, emphasizing the city’s maritime identity and its ambition to grow as a forward-looking logistics and tourism hub.
“In the three decades since that first departure, Stena Line has transported over 2.5 million freight units and more than 12 million passengers between Poland and Sweden. Those numbers tell the story of decades of cooperation between our two countries, the growth of Gdynia as a transport hub, and the vital role that our services have played for so many businesses and people on both sides of the sea.” Marek Kiersnowski, Trade Director of Business Region Baltic Sea South reflected on three decades of development of the Gdynia-Karlskrona route “We’re truly proud of the connections we made possible, the businesses we supported and communities we strengthened through strong relationships and shared goals.” he added
The conference synthesized key takeaways about doing business in the evolving Baltic market, with past reflections and present realities. Niclas Mårtensson, CEO of Stena Line Group, spoke about Stena Line as a leading ferry company in Europe, while Fredrik Udd of Swedish-Polish Chamber of Commerce and Bogdan Ołdakowski, Secretary General of the Baltic Ports Organization, shared insights into business expansion and maritime transport trends in the Baltic Sea region.
Looking ahead, future-oriented sessions focused on sustainability, innovation, and regional cooperation, with key notes of the challenges of multimodal logistics or how tourism is adapting to shifting global trends. Ron Gerlach, technical director from Stena Technik, introduced new solutions supporting sustainable ship design, and Katarzyna Gruszecka-Spychała, Vice President of the Port of Gdynia Authority, presented upcoming infrastructure improvements.
This was the second edition of the Stena Line Baltic Business Conference, following the first held in Riga in May 2023.