The Baltic Sea today plays a crucial role in the energy security of Poland and the wider region. It serves as a key route for oil and gas supplies, hosts underwater power and fiber-optic cables, and is the site of large-scale offshore wind farms that will supply Poland’s energy system in the coming years. With the growing strategic importance of the Baltic Sea and the ongoing war in Ukraine, the scale of threats to critical offshore infrastructure is also increasing.

These challenges were a central topic at the second edition of the “Energy Infrastructure Security at Sea” conference, organized by the Energy Club. Experts, representatives from public administration in Poland and the region, the military, and the financial sector discussed effective protection of energy and communication infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. Among the participants was Krzysztof Perdzyński, Senior Investment Director at PFR, who took part in a panel focused on financing investments that enhance offshore security.

During the discussion, it was emphasized that ensuring the security of critical infrastructure requires not only technological solutions and inter-agency cooperation but also stable, long-term financing mechanisms. In this context, development institutions play a key role, combining public and private capital to support projects of strategic importance for the state.

“For a long time, the defense sector was not within the focus of financial institutions. Today, they are learning about this sector, which is becoming increasingly attractive and promising due to the geopolitical situation. Defense, alongside sectors like offshore wind farms, is one of the most forward-looking and rapidly growing areas of the economy,” highlighted Krzysztof Perdzyński.

As an example of an effective financing model, he pointed to the Baltica 2 offshore wind farm project, implemented by a consortium of 25 Polish and foreign financial institutions. PFR played a significant role in this project by investing in the T5 installation terminal at the Baltic Hub port in Gdańsk — a key piece of infrastructure for the construction and operation of offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea.

For the Polish Development Fund (PFR), participation in the conference was an opportunity to emphasize the role of development institutions in financing projects that strengthen energy security, economic resilience, and Poland’s strategic position in the region.

pfr.pl