ABSTRACT
The introduction of computers into the Polish maritime sector was slow and delayed well beyond the progress that was seen in the west. This chapter examines the developments that did occur, focusing upon only the shipping sector. There were parallel developments in the ports industry. The Maritime Institute in Gdansk had commenced a programme dedicated to the application of computers to shipping as early as 1962. A system of automatically recording and controlling the movement of containers was introduced at the Ministry of Shipping's Information Centre in Gdynia in late 1973. During 1974, the computerisation of activities at Hartwig moved another stage further forward when three forwarding departments participated in the initial data processing exercise in the initial two months. Hardware was available from a number of sources but interestingly enough, Wang computers from the USA were purchased presumably reflecting the inadequacies of Polish sourced machines.
