Team
The Centre’s team comprises experts selected on a project-by-project basis, including both academics from various faculties of the University of Gdańsk and industry practitioners with extensive experience in the maritime sector.
By combining academic knowledge with business practice, the Centre provides comprehensive substantive, advisory, and implementation support tailored to the needs of its partners.
dr hab. Ernest Czermański, prof. UG
Director of the Centre for the Maritime Economics Studies
Prof. Ernest Czermański is a graduate of and academic staff member at the University of Gdańsk, where he serves as Head of the Maritime Economics Unit within the Department of Maritime Transport and Trade at the Faculty of Economics. He is a specialist in maritime shipping, seaports, intermodal transport, and offshore wind energy.
Prof. Czermański has participated in numerous international research projects and is the author of many publications in the fields of transport and maritime economics. Throughout his academic career at the University of Gdańsk, he has led or contributed to projects funded under major European Union programmes, including the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, INTERREG Baltic Sea Region, INTERREG South Baltic, and Erasmus+.
Since 2007, he has served as an evaluator and expert assessing the economic, financial, technical, and technological feasibility of projects financed under the Regional Operational Programme at the Marshal’s Office of the Pomorskie Voivodeship.
Since 2020, he has been a member of the Supervisory Board of UNIVENTUM LABS, a company established by the University of Gdańsk to support innovation and commercialization activities.
Prof. Czermański was one of the co-creators of the Pomeranian Smart Specialisation No. 1 – Port, Logistics and Offshore Technologies initiative, launched in Gdańsk in 2016. He is also a member of Working Group No. 3 established by the Polish Minister of Climate and Environment to support the development of the offshore wind sector.
He is a founding member and member of the Board of the Polish Offshore Wind Energy Society (PIMEW). In June 2022, he co-founded and joined the management bodies of Bota Green Offshore Sp. z o.o. and Bota Shipping Sp. z o.o., companies operating in the offshore wind energy sector.
In October 2024, he was appointed Director of the
Centre for the Maritime Economics Studies at the University of Gdańsk, succeeding the Centre’s founder, Prof. Dorota Pyć.
dr Anna Sperska
Vice Director of the Centre for the Maritime Economics Studies
Dr Anna Sperska combines academic activities with extensive managerial, consulting, and corporate governance experience gained in international business environments.
At the University of Gdańsk, she serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of International Business at the Faculty of Economics. She is also responsible for the International Business specialization within the International Economic Relations programme. As a management advisor and member of supervisory boards, she supports companies in developing and implementing growth strategies, sales development initiatives, and expansion into domestic and international markets. In her professional work, she combines strategic, financial, and market perspectives to support business development and organizational transformation. Her areas of expertise include B2B sales and marketing management, sales structure design, controlling systems implementation, and the development of effective data-driven management systems. For many years, she was associated with the transport, forwarding, and logistics (TSL) sector, holding senior management positions, including that of Sales Director at one of Poland’s leading logistics companies. She subsequently carried out consulting and interim management projects focused on organizational design, controlling systems implementation, business restructuring, and the development of growth strategies.
At the Centre for the Maritime Economics Studies, she is responsible for developing cooperation with business partners, the commercialization of the Centre’s services, and strengthening the practical, market-oriented dimension of its research activities. Her academic and professional interests focus on international business, the maritime economy, strategic management, and fostering collaboration between academia and industry.
mgr Łukasz Grzelak
Head of Office of the Centre for the Maritime Economics Studies
Łukasz Grzelak is a graduate of the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Gdańsk. He is employed as a Senior Specialist at the Project Monitoring Office of the University of Gdańsk, where he is responsible for monitoring projects financed from external funding sources, including European Union funds, the state budget, and dedicated public funds. His work involves providing formal and legal support to project managers and their teams, as well as coordinating external audits and inspections of funded projects.
Łukasz Grzelak specializes in the regulations and guidelines governing the application for and implementation of externally funded projects. He has professional experience in both the shipbuilding and architectural industries, which has provided him with a strong understanding of construction law, real estate law, and maritime law. He also has a particular interest in environmental law.
In addition to his professional activities, he is actively involved in volunteer work supporting foundations and non-governmental organizations.
mgr inż. Tomasz Laskowicz
Centre Expert – Offshore Wind Energy, Fisheries and Maritime Economy
Tomasz Laskowicz is a graduate of the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Gdańsk University of Technology and the Faculty of Economics at the University of Gdańsk. He is currently employed as a Research Assistant in the Department of International Economics and Economic Development at the Faculty of Economics, University of Gdańsk. His research focuses on the development of the renewable energy sector, with particular emphasis on offshore wind energy in Poland and across Europe. He is the author of scientific publications and conference papers in the field of the maritime economy.
Tomasz Laskowicz is a member of the international research project Blue Supply Chains, which aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in port operations across European ports. His research is focused on the decarbonization of port processes, particularly on the electrification of port equipment, including container cranes. He also has consulting experience, specializing in analytical advisory services for the offshore wind energy sector. He has contributed to the preparation of industry reports for the fisheries and offshore wind energy sectors developed by the Centre for Analysis and Expertise of the University of Gdańsk.
mgr Maria Karbowska
Centre Expert - Postgraduate Programme in Education for Sustainable Development: Offshore Wind Energy
Postgraduate Programme in Education for Sustainable Development: Offshore Wind Energy