On 13 and 14 May 2026, representatives of the Polish Shipowners’ Association (ZAP) participated in the 12th International Maritime Congress in Szczecin.

This year’s event brought together representatives of public administration, shipowners, ports, the maritime industry, academia and international organisations, providing a platform for discussion on the future of shipping, maritime security and the resilience of supply chains.

ZAP Secretary General Marcin Talwik took part in the opening plenary debate entitled “Striking a Balance in European Shipping: IMO and EU Regulations, Social Protection for Seafarers and the Strategic Role of the National Flag.” The discussion covered, among other topics, the competitiveness of European shipowners, IMO and European Union regulations, social standards arising from the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), European ship registers and the importance of the national flag for the country’s economic security.

At ZAP’s special invitation, leaders of the world’s and Europe’s leading shipowners’ organisations came to Szczecin: Thomas Kazakos, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping; Francesco Gargiulo, CEO of the International Maritime Employers’ Council; Mikki Koskinen, President of European Shipowners | ECSA; and Claudia Vella Casagrande, Secretary General of the Malta International Shipowners’ Association. For the first time in the history of the Szczecin Congress, such high-level representatives of the global and European shipping community were brought together in a single debate.

ZAP was represented in the third plenary debate, “Supply Chains in a Turbulent Reality: Opportunities, Threats and Challenges Towards 2030 and Beyond,” by the other members of its Management Board: President Dariusz Doskocz and Vice-President Jacek Wiśniewski. The panel focused on the impact of geopolitical and economic developments on global transport routes, supply chain stability, the role of ports and the integration of different modes of transport.

The active participation of ZAP representatives reaffirmed the Association’s role as the voice of Polish shipowners and as a partner in the international debate on the future of shipping.