The Economic Role of Baltic Sea Region Seaports in Changing Geopolitical Conditions

Motives: Seaports are key nodes in the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), handling a significant part of the European Union’s trade and freight transport. Baltic Sea ports, including those in Poland, have gained strategic importance due to their high growth rates and intense maritime traffic. Aim: This article examines the economic role of Baltic Sea ports under changing geopolitical conditions. It proposes two hypotheses: one on the relationship between economic growth and port cargo turnover, and the other on the strengthening positions of Baltic ports as key logistics hubs. The study analyzes statistical data on port cargo turnover, functional models, and classifications using Pearson’s correlation and structural analysis. Results: The main conclusions highlight the strengthening positions of Baltic Sea ports despite current challenges, emphasizing the need for further infrastructure development and service quality improvement. This article contributes to the field by providing a comprehensive analysis of the role of Baltic Sea ports, taking into account current geopolitical and economic factors, and by proposing an approach for assessing their current status and development prospects. The results are potentially useful for strategic planning in maritime transport.