175

1 INTRODUCTION

We are becoming increasingly aware of our impacts on

nature and therefore more emphasis is being

concentrated on sustainable solutions. The reason for

this is not only a sense of responsibility for the natural

environment, but also improving the quality of life in a

broad sense. Also, appropriate actions are being

taken in the field of transport and mobility. More

ecological, less burdensome and more favourable

conditions for travellers are being sought. The factors

determining the commuting choice are mainly travel

time and cost. Less attention is paid to comfort. At the

same time, growing awareness in society means that

the impact of the chosen means of transport on the

environment is becoming an increasingly important

decision-making factor [1]–[5].

Inland waterways transport, including ferry

connections, are very popular in agglomerations

through which various types of water canals run.

Ferries create an indispensable complementary

network to land means of public transport [4]–[9].

Using ferry connections provides passengers with the

opportunity to shorten the distance to be covered.

Another positive aspect is that city authorities gain a

tool with which they can encourage residents to choose

public means of transport for everyday travel. The use

of a small passenger-bicycle ferry will encourage new

users to at least partially give up traveling by car.

Gdynia is a port city located in the northern part of

Poland [6], [10]. The city area is divided by a port canal

that penetrates into the land, which clearly affects the

transport routes connecting the northern part with the

Innovative and Sustainable Approaches to Urban

Waterborne Transport: Insights from Gdynia Port City

A. Wawrzyńska, A. Przybylowski & M. Baziuk

Gdynia Maritime University, Gdynia, Poland

ABSTRACT: In order to face current challenges, cities need to introduce and enhance resilient, sustainable and

innovative decarbonisation policies and strategies. This also includes coastal urban areas, suffering from

particularly heavy congestion, where local and regional authorities and other stakeholders should promote novel

environmental-friendly, socially accepted and economically effective mobility patterns. Thus, the paper presents

urban waterborne transport development prerequisites and conditions taking as a case study Gdynia located at

the Baltic Sea in Poland. Its aim is to explore the tailor-made possibilities and solutions to create a ferry connection

recommended in order to enhance sustainable and innovative mobility in the analysed city port area. The study

focused on the selected variants investigating possibilities for allowing vessels with alternative fuels, appropriate

length and draft parameters to approach existing locations. The paper is based on scientific papers, available

industry reports, feasibility studies, urban policies and cities current experiences in planning and operating water

transport. Urban waterborne transport development requires an interdisciplinary and multilevel perspective and

approach so that future urban strategies contain a complex set of goals and actions to be successfully implemented

by decision makers.

http://www.transnav.eu

the International Journal

on Marine Navigation

and Safety of Sea Transportation

Volume 19

Number 1

March 2025

DOI: 10.12716/1001.19.01.21

176

rest of the area. The specific situation of Gdynia causes

congestion on the roads and the creation of critical

points that affect means of transport. Implementing a

city ferry crossing at the very beginning of the port

canal would allow for the creation of an alternative

route leading to the northern districts. The paper

presents urban water transport development

prerequisites and conditions taking as a case study

Gdynia located at the Baltic Sea in Poland. Its aim is to

explore the tailor-made possibilities and solutions to

create a ferry connection recommended in order to

enhance sustainable and innovative mobility in the

analysed city port area. The study focused on the

selected variants investigating possibilities for

allowing vessels with alternative fuels, appropriate

length and draft parameters to approach existing

locations. Based on the analysis carried out, three

variants of the creation of the crossing were proposed

in the work.

2 WATERBORNE TRANSPORT DEVELOPMENT

TENDENCIES WITH A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON

THE FERRY CONNECTIONS

While according to Eurostat inland waterways

transport represents only 6% of the modal split in the

EU, it presents better results regarding accidents, air

and noise pollution, effects on climate, and congestion.

At the same time, in some countries as The

Netherlands, where the inland waterways network is

developed, its share reaches 40%. The EU has

recognised the importance of a modal shift from road

hauling to railways and inland waterways transport.

With the European Green Deal [11], the European

Commission aims to shift part of the current

roadhauled goods to more sustainable inland transport

[12].

The construction of transportation infrastructure is

based on two fundamental factors shaping and

limiting its development: the demand for the

movement of people or cargo, and the terrain, which is

in the line of the selected location routes. Demand for

movement, shapes the search for connections between

points, in turn, the relief and type of terrain affect the

connections that are formed [13]–[16].

The same factors also influence the development of

waterborne transport, including ferry connections.

According to the definition, a ferry crossing is a way of

moving people, cars, trains and cargo by ferry, between

fixed points of loading and unloading. Ferry crossing,

depending on the type of body of water, can be carried

out using sea ferries, inland ferries or smaller vessels

[17]. A ferry is a water vessel used to transport people

and cargo across canals, seas, reservoirs or rivers. The

ferry is usually moved by self-propulsion or is pulled

by means of a hanging rope [18]–[22].

In the context of the analysis of the city's

transportation network, the greatest demand for ferry

service will arise in agglomerations located at the sea,

in the estuary and along the natural course of rivers, or

in the area of the extensive canal network. It is

uneconomic to create freight connections within the

city. Ferry solutions are mainly designed to facilitate

the movement of pedestrians, cyclists and public

transport passengers within the city. Often introduced

ferry solutions in cities become a curiosity for tourists

to enjoy [23]–[27] .

The project to create a ferry service (urban or

marine/interland) will always raise many questions

and doubts, due to the huge financial outlay needed to

make the crossing operational. A properly operating

crossing needs a minimum of two terminals, a vessel

and an entity responsible for maintaining the line.

These are huge costs that must be incurred for the new

link to take off. Only then can it be verified in practice

whether the studies and predictions were accurate.

Adequate research that most likely replicates the

demand for the crossing requires the assumption of

basic scopes that must be examined:

− economic efficiency (profitability),

− crossing time,

− number of ports and terminals,

− route load/demand,

− investment costs [25]–[28].

Vessels operating on urban ferry services are

generally small in size, about 22-24 meters, and the

routes on which they operate are a few hundred meters

at most. The short distance, the relatively small number

of passengers and the convenient water conditions

have a positive effect on the level of safety

requirements, the fulfilment of which does not pose

additional problems, providing a cost-optimal vessel

that, thanks to the open space and freedom of

movement on board, will provide a comfortable

journey for passengers. With the assumption of serving

only pedestrian and bicycle passengers, favorable

conditions will be created for the use of modern electric

or hybrid units [32]–[35]. These two types of units have

gained a great deal of popularity in recent years thanks

to the extraordinary development of batteries and

rechargeable batteries. Fast charging stations at the

shore, efficient and capacious batteries ensure the

possibility of a trouble-free, environmentally friendly

application of these types of units on urban ferry

routes. Societal pressure, which exerts great influence

to use electric ferries as often as possible, plays a huge

role in planning connections. In cases where there is a

high intensity of operation that makes it difficult to

recharge batteries or there are financial barriers,

hybrid-powered units are being used in ferry service

[36]–[42].

There are some logistics advantages of passenger

inland ferries. In Norwegian Bergen it concerns remote

parking terminals, saving significant travel distance

and cut the cost of crew facilities in terminals [43].

These solutions are also a promising future in Russia

[44] and in Germany [[46]. Some researchers combine

autonomous transport with zero-emission ferries as a

better option for sustainable urban mobility [25]. There

are numerous benefits of sustainable ferries for urban

mobility: increasing public transport network

connectivity, reduced travel distance, and fostering

modal shifts towards foot travel and bike riding [23].

However, some important questions arise from a

legal perspective in view of a complete operational

implementation of autonomous inland waterways

transport. The allocation of liability, including

extracontractual one, is an important concern for

shipowners wanting to invest in autonomous vessels,

and for other stakeholders. That is why, a balanced risk

177

distribution framework could boost the investment

decision [45][42]-[47].

Also, the autonomous vessel elaborated by MIT

scientists Roboat II (fig. 2) is designed to carry

passengers for urban mobility [47], [48].

Figure 1 Mechanical design of the Roboat prototype [49].

In Paris, for example, four 15-meter-long 100%

electric boats, worth 1.3 million each, sail at a speed of

20 km/h and can accommodate many passengers. This

operation has been carried out in the framework of the

organization of the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024.

These shuttles operate completely autonomously. A

captain and sailors are to be present on board just to

ensure that everything goes smoothly.

The tab. 1 presents a summary of selected examples

of electrification of ferry vessels. Several of them are

also autonomous units and it can be expected that the

number of autonomous ferry connections will only

increase. In Europe, Norway is leading the way, being

very consistent in the electrification of ferry

connections in particular, and at the same time having

a number of projects underway to introduce

autonomous units [49].

Table 1 Characteristics of selected examples of electrification

and/or autonomous ferry vessels

Operating area

Characteristics of

the crossing

Characteristics of the vessel

Lorient

i Pen-Mané

(France)

frequency:

28 sailings per day

length: 22 m,passenger seats:

113;

cargo capacity: 10 bicycles, 3

wheelchairs

propulsion: supercapacitors;

running time: 7 min;

loading time: 4 min

Paris Seine

(France)

Seine river

length: 22 m; operation was

carried out in the framework of

the organization of the

Olympic Games in Paris in

2024; 4 ex.

autonomous electric ferry,

autonomous mooring

Stockholm:

Movitz Ferry

Sweden)

cruises in the

summer season

after deep modernization;

length: 23 m;

passenger seats: 100; speed: 16

km/h

el. drive: 2x125 kW, battery

capacity: 180 kWh

operating time: 1 h; charging

time: 10 min

Stockholm:

Sjovagen Ferry

(Sweden)

frequency:

8 sailings per day

(10 stops);

cruise time: 50 min

passenger seats: 150; cargo

capacity: 15 bicycles,

6 wheelchairs and 8 baby

carriages

el. drive: 2x160 kW; battery

capacity: 500 kWh;

charging at night and 2 times

during the day

Stockholm

(Kungsholmen -

Soedermalm)

several minutes

length: 12 m; passenger seats:

autonomous electric ferry,

propulsion system driven by

electricity supplied via

onboard solar panels

Amsterdam

(Netherlands)

cruise time: 5 min

length: 34 m; passenger seats:

310;

cargo capacity: bicycles and

mopeds

Diesel propulsion: 4x133 kW;

el. drive: 2x250 kW;

battery capacity: 2x68 kWh

Kaohsiung

(Taiwan)

distance: 650 m

frequency

every 15 minutes

refurbished; length: 23 m

Diesel propulsion: 2x225 kW;

electric drive: 130 kW (direct

current);battery capacity: 100

kWh

London:

Woolwich

-North

Woolwich

(United

Kingdom)

cruise time: 5 min

2 ex.; length: 62 m; passenger

seats: 150;

cargo capacity: 45 passenger

cars

hybrid propulsion; battery

capacity: 181 kWh

Trondheim

(Norway)

distance: 100 m

length: 8-10 m;

loading capacity: 12 persons,

bicycles and wheelchairs

electric propulsion: 4x4 kW

autonomous ferry under

construction

Fredrikstad

(Norway)

Medium ferry (50 PAX) New

electric ferry delivered in June

2019. Evaluating future

autonomous operation.

Oslo

(Norway)

A large number of medium-

sized passenger ferries are in

use already

Copenhagen

(Denmark)

Daily working

hours:

16 h

5 Damen Ferry 2306 E3 vessels;

length: 23 m;

Passenger seats: 80; cargo

capacity: 8 bicycles

Electric drive: 2x55 kW; battery

capacity: 120 kWh;

loading at end stops: 7 min

each

Kiel

(Germany)

length: 31.57 m; passenger

seats: 30; (Source:)

Hybrid ferry, battery capacity:

340 kWh;

Source: own elaboration based on: [49-57] and other

available data.

178

3 GDYNIA PORT CITY TRANSPORT NETWORK

SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES

Gdynia is a city located in Poland and is one of three

cities in the Tricity agglomeration. In 2022, Gdynia had

a population of 242 000, and the city's area was 135

square kilometers. The location of the city, not

coincidentally, was chosen about 100 years ago because

of the need to build a port and shipyard on the Bay of

Gdansk. The harbor channel, visible in Figure 1, cuts

deeply into the land, separating the city into two parts.

Currently, there is no bridge over the port channel and

no ferry crossing. The only way to get from one side of

the canal to the other is to drive around. In Gdynia in

2022, the ratio of passenger vehicles per 1,000 residents

was almost 700. This is a very high number that

directly affects urban transport system sustainability

resulting in road congestion, air quality and travel time

[58].

The analysis requires taking into account the

structure of two districts: the Oksywie and

Śródmieście. Oksywie is located north of the harbor

channel. The area of the district is 4.37 square

kilometers and the area has a population of 14 376. It is

a district with mainly residential buildings in the area.

Figure 2 Situation plan of the analyzed connection between

the districts of Gdynia: Oksywie and Śródmieście Source:

Own based on Obliview Gdynia

The district is home to infrastructure of strategic

importance to the state, the land along the port channel

belongs to the Navy. In the military areas there is a

naval port, a naval shipyard and the Naval Academy.

There are also points of tourist and recreational

importance in this district: the seaside promenade and

the beach.

The Śródmieście district, on the other hand, is

located in the central part of the city and south of the

harbor channel. The district has a population of 11,556

and an area of 11.49 square kilometers. The district's

areas are characterized by a wide range of uses,

including residential areas, service and office

development, and industrial and shipyard areas. It is

within this district that the harbor channel is located.

Śródmieście is home to infrastructure elements

important to residents traveling to other areas of the

city, province and country. There is a train station, a

commuter rail station and a bus station.

It is worth mentioning about the plans to introduce

passenger traffic on the rail line running through the

Oksywie district. After adjusting the line to handle

agglomeration traffic, the route from Oksywie would

connect with the current SKM train line at the level of

the Gdynia Chylonia stop. Such a connection is a

solution whose implementation is needed and

beneficial. However, the creation of a rail connection

does not interfere with the ferry crossing project under

construction, due to the fact that the line reaches the

city center in a rather wide arc, and for some travelers

a direct ferry to Downtown will be a more attractive

means of transportation. The ferry service could even

interact with the rail line. Travelers from nearby

neighborhoods along the line, could be bused to the

ferry. Likewise, travelers from the ferry would have the

option of transferring to a train for onward travel. The

train stop is a short distance from the ferry's conceptual

solutions.

The idea for the creation of the Gdynia Śródmieście

- Gdynia Oksywie ferry crossing is intended as a

starting point for further analysis, the end goal of

which would be to create an alternative way for

residents of Oksywie and neighboring districts in the

municipalities to travel on this route. The problems

described earlier, resulting from the harbor canal

entering Gdynia, mean that the resulting solution

could become an alternative to road connections and

influence an increase in the share of sustainable modes

of transportation in urban travel. A direct, short

connection could encourage residents to continue their

journey using public transportation, bicycles or to

cover part of the trip on foot. This section proposes

several variants of routes and locations in which a ferry

crossing could operate for residents between Gdynia

Śródmieście and Gdynia Oksywie.

Touching on the previously mentioned elements

that need to be defined when creating a plan, they start

with economic efficiency. The crossing will certainly

have to be maintained as part of the city's public

transportation network. Operating costs will

significantly affect the city's budget. A solution should

be sought that will affect the authority's finances as

little as possible. The vessel should be lightweight,

small and have low electricity consumption. Due to the

short distances to be traveled, the ferry will be able to

be electrically powered and recharged while stationary

at terminals. The passenger vessel should take on

board passengers on foot, cyclists, baby carriages,

cargo bicycles and wheelchair users. A positive aspect

that would encourage additional passengers would be

the possibility of bringing scooters and mopeds on

board the ferry. Due to the prevailing weather

conditions, to ensure the comfort of the trip, there

should be an enclosed section on the vessel where

passengers can stay during crossings in winter, rains or

during strong winds.

Another aspect is the crossing time, which should

be as short as possible to attract potential passengers as

much as possible. It should be a crossing that allows

quick movement, not a tourist ferry to view the port

from the water. Depending on the location of the

terminals, the crossing time will be affected more or

179

less by the traffic of other vessels in the port. It is to be

expected that larger vessels will take precedence over

a small passenger ferry. A ferry on this route should

exhibit high maneuverability and dynamic movement

in order to take advantage of the windows that appear

between other, larger vessels. Necessary to indicate is

the number of ports and terminals. The route will

include two terminals where the vessel will have its

stops. One of the harbors should be designed to ensure

that the vessel can safely stop at night. Defining the

demand and load of the connection is another

important element of the concept. Assuming that the

chosen route will be attractive from the point of view

of a potential passenger, one should expect increased

demand for travel during the morning and afternoon

hours from Monday to Friday. During weekday

evenings and weekends, those using the crossing will

be tourists and locals who go to the center to spend

their leisure time. On weekends, especially those with

favorable weather conditions, traffic may be increased,

but spread evenly throughout the day. Increased

marketing efforts should be made to promote among

residents the use of the crossing for more than just

recreational purposes. It is advisable to create a

program to encourage travelers to make regular trips.

An important factor that defines the emergence of

investment is investment costs. The scale of the project

and the momentum make it virtually impossible to

finance the investment with municipal funds alone.

The cost of purchasing a vessel, adapting and building

terminals and operating facilities will run into the

millions. Funding for the investment should be sought

from the central budget or external subsidies, such as

EU funds for the development of sustainable transport

in cities. Investment with private funds is practically

impossible due to the subsequent lack of return on

investment. The northern part of Gdynia is a lot of

undeveloped areas that will develop rapidly in the

near future, especially the residential part. The already

existing barriers and bottlenecks in the transportation

system exert a strong pressure to create alternative

connections, such as a ferry service or the launch of

light rail. Both solutions can work together to provide

a loop in the public transportation network.

4 CONCEPT OF A NOVEL FERRY CONNECTION

IN GDYNIA CITY PORT

In this section, 6 variants with varying degrees of

reference to the existing condition at the location have

been presented. When designing a ferry crossing in a

city, it is important to keep in mind the previously

mentioned factors that will significantly affect the

variants: economic efficiency, crossing time, number of

ports/terminals, route loading and investment costs.

Due to the complexity of the process and the lack of

detailed data on, for example, the cost of building a

ship, some elements of the concept will be addressed to

a lesser extent. A key element affecting the concepts to

varying degrees will be the exclusionary areas

established by the Minister of Defense. The excluded

area includes the Naval Academy, the Naval Port

Gdynia and part of the port basins located at wharves

used by the Navy. On each of the variants, the scope

has been placed in green closed terytory of Naval Port.

In addition, the projected construction of the Outer

Harbor is an extremely important element. In the case

of two variants (I and III), the expansion of the port

here will be crucial to extending the route of the

projected ferry line.

An introduction is necessary before starting the

analysis of options. The starting and ending points are

marked in a special way:

− Point A1, is a point on the Pomorskie quay, in the

absolute heart of Downtown (also called

Śródmieście), most convenient for passengers on

foot,

− Point A2, is an intermediate point between the BCT

terminal and the Navy Port (which is a restricted

zone). Performing passenger access in this mijecu

would be a very convenient option for direct access

to the Śmidowicza street for residents of the

Oksywie district without the need for another

means of transportation,

− Point A3, is a point at the end of the Helskie Quay

in the direct location of the Kwiatkowski Estacade,

from here travelers would be able to transfer to go

further towards the northern districts of Gdynia,

including Obłuże and Pogórze,

− Point B1, is a point in the vicinity of the Marine

Station in Gdynia, at the Fińskie Quay in the

immediate vicinity of the Ferry Terminal (therefore

having the necessary hydro-technical

infrastructure), however, it is a place somewhat

distant from the strict center of Downtown and

requiring the choice of another means of transport

to get here from the center of Gdynia,

− Point B2, is a point at the site of the Babie Doły ferry

terminal, which does not currently exist, but is

essential for the various variants of the proposed

routes.

Means of transportation included in the analysis are

as follows:

− inland passenger ferry; example units with

technical dimensions and possible number of

passengers to be transported, units powered by

electricity or hydrogen fuel, andt about the ptencial

possibilities of using autonomous units;

− inland passenger-car ferry; examples of units, along

with technical dimensions and the number of

passengers and cars that can be carried.

Table 2 presents the most important information on

the details of the proposed routes and the type of units

serving each alternative. Hence, the following

description of each alternative focuses only on the

functional and spatial analysis of each alternative.

Variant I, is the concept that appears to be the most

attractive from the point of view of a passenger

traveling exclusively by public transportation (Fig. 3).

The route begins at Pomorskie Quay, in the center of

Downtown Gdynia, while it ends at Helskie Quay in

the vicinity of the Kwiatkowski route, and would be an

excellent transfer point for passengers heading toward

Oksywie or the neighboring districts of northern

Gdynia. At the same time, an intermediate stop is

planned along the route. Serving passengers from the

Oksywie districts, allowing faster passage in the

direction of the Oksywie district center. This

connection effectively avoids traffic jams and saves

time at the level of about 30 minutes. The essential

element of this variant is the possibility of direct

transport from the center of Downtown to the Oksywie

180

district analyzed in the work. At the same time, it is a

variant in which transport is carried out by a small

vessel designed exclusively for the transportation of

passengers and, what is extremely important, it is a

variant that does not take into account the planned

expansion of the Port of Gdynia by the External Port,

which will soon take place. So where did the idea to

introduce such a variant come from? Especially since

one must be aware that after a short time this variant

will not be possible to implement? Well, according to

the Authors, it would be an excellent opportunity to

promote this mode of transport and get people used to

the fact that sea transport in a port city is an ordinary

way of covering a certain distance, which can be used

interchangeably with land transport. After the

construction of the Outer Harbor, maintaining this

connection would lose its sense due to significantly

increasing distances, and would naturally have to be

replaced with the route presented in options: IV, V and

VI. In these variants, the beginning of the route is

planned in the vicinity of the Marine Station in Gdynia

and by the ferry crossing currently in use.

Figure 3. Variant I - passenger ferry from Pomorskie Quay

towards Kwiatkowski Estacada, a variant that does not take

into account the planned expansion of the Port of Gdynia by

the Outer Port Source own work based on SIPAM

Variant II, is a proposed passenger-car train service,

along the lines of the crossings operating for many

years in Swinoujscie, details of which the Reader can

find, for example, in [A]. The beginning of the crossing,

is the terminal at the Marine Station, and the end stop

the authors proposed in the Babie Doły location. In this

case, a ferry stop would have to be designed at this

location. Such a passenger-car crossing would

significantly relieve traffic along Kwiatkowskiego

Estakada, but would require significant financial

outlays necessary to build hydro-technical

infrastructure for the designed ferry terminal and to

prepare a waterway to the terminal providing

adequate depths for a passenger-car ferry. Variant II is

independent of the construction of the External Port

and can be implemented at any time.

Variant III is a combination of the above two

variants and can be implemented under the same

conditions as the above two variants. So where did the

idea for such a solution come from? It would be a

comprehensive solution, enabling a complete

improvement of transport accessibility to the northern

districts of Gdynia. It would be an opportunity to

change the habits of passengers and indicate the

possibility of choosing the best transport connection

from the two proposed in this variant.

Figure 4. Variant II - passenger-car ferry from the Fińśkie

Quay in the vicinity of the Marine Station, towards Babie

Doły Marina, non-dependent variant of the planned

expansion of the Port of Gdynia with the External Port Source

own work based on SIPAM

Figure 5. Variant III - a variant combining the above two

variants, taking into account both the passenger ferry from

Pomorskie Quay in the direction of Kwiatkowski Estacada

and the passenger-car ferry from the Finnish Wharf in the

vicinity of the Marine Station, in the direction of Babie Doły

Marina, a variant that does not take into account the planned

expansion of the Port of Gdynia by the Outer Port Source

own work based on SIPAM

Variant IV, is the option that assumes the existence

of the External Port. The construction of the Outer Port

in Gdynia naturally removes Variant I from the option.

Instead, a solution is proposed in which the beginning

of the passenger crossing will be in the vicinity of the

Marine Station in Gdynia. At the same time, the

introduction of two routes is assumed, but only as a

passenger connection. Thus, it is assumed that the first

route has a beginning in the vicinity of the Marine

Station in Gdynia, and then runs along the Helskie

quay until the end of the Port Canal in the vicinity of

Kwiatkowski Estacada, and the second route, which

also has a beginning in the vicinity of the Marine

Station, but would lead to Babie Doły marina, the

assumptions of which are presented in the description

of Variants II and III. The authors assume that

launching a new means of transportation on only one

route and to a rather limited extent, is not a sufficiently

adequate motivation to change the route choice habits

of Gdynia residents. Therefore, if a decision were to be

made to introduce a new means of public transport, it

is worth considering the proposal of route choice by a

potential passenger. It is worth mentioning at this

point that, unlike a car-passenger crossing, a

passenger-only ferry requires less depth both on the

approach track and in the harbor itself.

181

Figure 6. Variant IV - two independent routes of passenger

ferry connections are proposed, both having their beginning

at the Fińskie Quay in the vicinity of the Marine Station,the

first route in the direction of Kwiatkowski Estakada, and the

road in the direction of Babie Doły Marina, the variant taking

into account the planned expansion of the Port of Gdynia

with the External Port Source own work based on SIPAM

Variant V, shown in Figure 7, on the other hand, is

a combination of the two above-mentioned routes into

a single, albeit significantly longer, route. At the same

time, only a passenger crossing is designed here. The

proposed variant basically assumes only the beginning

of the route (in the vicinity of the Marine Station) and

making a loop along the port channel and Babie Doły

marina. Why would such a variant serve? It is mainly

about the distribution of passenger stops and

minimizing the required vessels. At any one time, one

vessel would be enough to serve the route instead of

the necessary two in the previous variant.

Figure 7. Variant V - one extended route served by a

passenger ferry is proposed, starting at the Finnish Quay in

the vicinity of the Marine Station, and then leading through

the Port Channel to the route towards the Kwiatkowski

Estacada, and the road towards the Babie Doły Marina, a

variant taking into account the planned expansion of the Port

of Gdynia with the External Port Source own work based on

SIPAM

The last of the proposed solutions, Variant VI, is

also a variation on the previous ones. Firstly, it assumes

the existence of the External Port, hence the beginning

of the route in the vicinity of the Marine Station,

secondly two types of ferries: passenger and car ferries,

and thirdly it assumes the construction of a marina in

Gdynia Babie Boły. With a proper promotional

campaign, especially with the introduction of a ferry

connection from Downtown Gdynia, such a variant

could prove to be a very good solution, permanently

changing the lives of Gdynia's residents.

Table 2, Specification of analyzed variants with respect to route length, number of stops, type of unit

Conditions

Variants

Variant I

Fig. 3

Variant II

Fig. 4

Variant III

Fig. 5

Variant IV

Fig. 6

Variant V

Fig. 7

Variant VI

Fig. 8

Consideration of the

construction of the Outer

Port

YES

Route

A1 Kosciuszko

Square (Helskie

quay)/

A2 Boundary of

the MW Port and

BCT Terminal

(Helskie quay/

A3 Helskie quay at

Kwiatkowski

estacada

B1 Maritime

Station (Fińskie

Quay)/.

B2 Babie Doły

Marina

A1 Kosciuszko

Square (Helskie

quay)/

A2 Boundary of

the MW Port and

BCT Terminal

(Helskie quay/

A3 Helskie quay at

Kwiatkowski

estacada

B1 Maritime

Station (Finskie

quay)/ A2

Boundary of the

MW Port and BCT

Terminal (Helskie

quay)/ A3 Helskie

quay at

Kwiatkowski

estacada

B1 Maritime

Station (Finskie

quay)/ A2

Boundary of the

MW Port and BCT

Terminal (Helskie

quay)/ A3 Helskie

quay at

Kwiatkowski

estacada

B2 Babie Doły

Marina

B1 Maritime

Station (Finskie

quay)/ A2

Boundary of the

MW Port and BCT

Terminal (Helskie

quay)/ A3 Helskie

quay at

Kwiatkowski

estacada

B1 Maritime

Station (Fińskie

Quay)/.

B2 Babie Doły

Marina

B1 Maritime

Station (Fińskie

Quay)/.

B2 Babie Doły

Marina

B1 Maritime

Station (Fińskie

Quay)/.

B2 Babie Doły

Marina

Distance approx.

6,5 km

4,5 km

1. 6,5 km

2. 4,5 km

3.8 km

4.5 km

13,4 km

3.8 km

4.5 km

Number of stops

3/2

2/2

3/2

Passenger Ferry/Water

Tram

YES

Passenger-vehicle ferry

YES

Number of vessels

frequency of crossing /

per day

Number of pasengers

100

400

100

400

100

400

Number of cars

Source: own elaboration

182

Figure 8. Variant VI – taking into account both the passenger

ferry from the Fińskie Quay towards Kwiatkowski Estacada

and the passenger-car ferry from the Quay, towards Babie

Doły Marina, a variant taking into account the planned

expansion of the Port of Gdynia with the Outer Port Source

own work based on SIPAM

The limitation of this analysis is a lack of a decent

identification of funding sources and the definition of

a management model. Also, future research should

concentrate on the need to use the CBA method as

necessary to assess the economic efficiency of

implementing such a project.

5 CONCLUSIONS

The intention of the Authors was to indicate the

possibility of using a floating ship as a means of

transportation that could improve transport links

between the northern districts of Gdynia, including

primarily the Obłuże district. Variants I and III do not

include the construction of the Outer Port in their

assumption. In this situation, they could be applied in

the short term. The construction of the Outer Port

would force a longer route, which in effect, both in

terms of economics and increased crossing time, would

make the crossing unprofitable. However, it has been

included in the considerations, since the construction

of the Outer Port has not yet begun, and from the point

of view of the attractiveness of the project, it is the

stopping of autonomous units and the transport of

passengers by these units from the Pomorskie quay, in

principle from the center of Śródmieście, that would be

the most convenient solution. Variant II and Variants

IV and VI include a passenger-car crossing, which in

essence does not change whether it remains the only

proposal or is an additional option to accompany the

passenger crossing.

At present, the most likely solutions to be

implemented are Variants IV-VI. Variant IV proposes

two independent routes: the first in the direction of

Kwiatkowski estacada with a stop at the border of the

Navy Port and BCT Terminal, and the second in the

direction of Babie Doły Marina. Of course, both would

have their beginning in the vicinity of the Maritime

Station , it is proposed to start at the site of the Finkie

Quay. The hydrotechnical infrastructure is ready there,

and adequate depths at the wharf are also provided.

Analyzing the aspect of hydrotechnical infrastructure,

both A1 (Maritime Station or Kosciuszko Square), as

well as A2 (Helskie quay at the border of BCT and MW)

and A3 (Helskie quay at Kwiatkowski estacada), have

ready and adequate technical infrastructure, as well as

depths at the quay. In contrast, the situation is different

for the Babie Doły marina. Here it would be necessary

to build a berth for both a passenger-car vessel and a

passenger vessel. Moreover, given the existing depths,

it would also be necessary to carry out dredging work

on the leachate leading to the marina.

Already in 2021 the Vice-mayor for economic affairs

(and current Vice-President for Finance and Asset

Management of Port of Gdynia Authority) revealed

that city of Gdynia was thinking not only about

hydrogen public transport solutions, but also about a

water tram running between the districts and

decongesting the city port area in this way. However,

there are some concerns about the feasibility of

implementing them: technical, techonological,

managerial and also financial ones. Also, the local

authorities and higher education institutions show the

involvement in this respect. Subsequently, at Gdynia

Maritime University (GMU) premises a meeting with

participation of public transport representatives,

LOTOS petrochemical company and other key

stakeholders was organised to discuss possibilities to

launch such a hydrogen ferry connection and

eventually an autonomous one in future. Finally, more

research is required to evaluate the full picture and to

propose solutions allowing seamless implementation

of waterborne transport connections, including low-

emissions and autonomous ones [59], in the modern

seaport agglomerations.

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