Safety Management in Polish Seaports: Identification and Analysis of Threats

Purpose: The main objective of this article is to present the economic and military importance of Polish seaports as complex economic systems and intermodal transport hubs and to identify contemporary threats to their functioning, indicating directions for counteracting the negative impact of external and internal factors on an international and national scale. One specific goal is to shape the maritime awareness of Polish society, one determinant of the safe and effective use of Poland's coastal location. Design/Methodology/Approach: The author has adopted and verified the following research thesis: The efficient and safe operation of seaports has a significant impact on the security of the transport system, the functional stability of supply chains and the development of the national economy. Seaports should become the subject of a permanent, systemic study aimed at building, expanding and modernising critical infrastructure with systems of its protection. In the research, systemic analysis methods, induction and deduction methods, and quantitative methods were employed. Findings: Maritime ports should become subjects of systematic and ongoing research, resulting in the development of simulation models for the strategic and operational management of each Polish port under crisis conditions, taking into account their geographic, infrastructural, and technological specificities. Integrated crisis management modules should be incorporated into the strategic and operational management systems of ports. It is imperative to influence public awareness regarding the contemporary role of maritime ports within the national security framework, given the lurking threats to maritime and land-based critical infrastructure, through interdisciplinary research, publications, and the dissemination of knowledge pertaining to maritime issues. Practical Implications: Seaports should become the subject of a permanent, systemic study aimed at building, expanding and modernising critical infrastructure with systems of its protection. The article is cognitive, organisational, methodological and prescriptive. It can be used by researchers, students and managers in the maritime sector as well as maritime and local government decision-makers interested in the theory and practice of safety management in seaports. Originality/Value: The publication exhibits signs of originality due to its systemic approach; wherein maritime ports are regarded as complex economic systems and intermodal links within the logistics and transportation system of Poland in global land-maritime supply chains. It addresses a relatively underexplored topic, possesses a limited body of relevant scientific literature, and addresses the timeliness and significance of the security issues concerning Polish maritime ports in light of emerging military threats.