For many years Poland relied on maritime trade mostly due to poor roads. This was the answer to transporting goods from say, Japan to Poland when transport on bumpy roads to Slovakia would take twenty hours. Meanwhile, it was much easier to simply do so through a port like Hamburg, which although further away, would still take less time to transport than using badly developed Polish roads.
Times have changed as Poland finally has better roads, especially on the North-South axis. Transshipments in Polish ports are booming and Gdańsk is currently constructing a massive central port and Gdynia, an outer harbor.
Social security for sailors is enforced on Polish ships, whereas it is not on those from, for example, Panama or the Bahamas
But what about ships under Polish flags? Well, there are few. So why do Polish ship-owners exploit ships belonging to the state treasury under foreign banners? This is due to the maritime labor costs.
Land companies operate on the same laws so competition is fair. But the sea laws are a different story. Social security for sailors is enforced on Polish ships, whereas it is not on those from, for example, Panama or the Bahamas.
A ship-owner lives off of haulage that they receive for transporting goods. And haulage shapes a market dominated by comfortable banners. Therefore, who will win? A ship-owner paying social security dues or the one not doing so?
