Mediation – the specifics of dispute settlement in the maritime economy

Mediation – the specifics of dispute settlement in the maritime economy – it was a subject of the conference in Gdańsk in 6 June. The  conference was arranged by the Pomeranian Center for Arbitration and Mediation, Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Gdańsk and the District Court in Gdańsk.

The conference was greeted by prof. Anna Machnikowska, Vice-Rector of the University of Gdańsk, Head of the Department of Civil Law, Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Gdańsk and jurist Ireneusz Pawłowski, President of the Pomeranian Center for Arbitration and Mediation. Mediation plays an important role in the functioning of law in the state and society and it is an important element supporting the activities of judges said Judge Rafał Terlecki, President of the District Court in Gdańsk and Judge Katarzyna Kazaniecka-Kapała, Mediation Coordinator in the Regional Court in Gdańsk, Social Dialogue Council in Gdańsk.

Market dynamics and challenges for the Shipping and port industries. The global and Baltic view was presented to Bogdan Ołdakowski, member of the board of the Regional Chamber of Commerce of Pomerania, president of the board, Actia Forum. The role of mediation and other alternative methods of resolving disputes in economic disputes in a maritime economy was mentioned by prof. Dorota Pyć, Head of the Chair of Maritime Law Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Gdańsk, Chair of the Maritime Law Commission of the Polish Academy of Sciences.

The international rules of ADR in the maritime economy were discussed in numerous examples by Zbigniew Jaś, President of the International Court of Arbitration at the Polish Chamber of Maritime Commerce. The specificity of commercial disputes in the maritime industry was explained by Dr. Krzysztof Kochanowski, who emphasized that small enterprises are in a losing position in court disputes with global market players. The competence of the mediator in matters of entrepreneurs from the maritime industry based on his experience was discussed by Bartosz Poćwiardowski.

The functions and tasks of the Maritime Chamber in the District Court were explained by Wojciech Midziak, Judge of the Maritime Chamber, the Appeal Chamber of Maritime Affairs, Deputy Chairman of the Department. The main causes and consequences of accidents and events at sea – conclusions for companies related to maritime transport were discussed by prof. Marek Grzybowski, President of the Baltic Maritime and Space Cluster, Barbara Matysiak, court mediator, member of the Baltic Sea and Space Cluster. Is mediation in the Maritime Chamber possible? Radosław Lenarczyk, a court mediator, responded to this question on the basis of his own experiences. His answer was yes. Mediation as an alternative to the settlement of disputes in maritime affairs was the subject of Magda Bellwon considerations and discussions of conference participants. Photo: Marek Grzybowski, Barabara Matysiak