Table of content

Inland waterway goods transport has got, in some European countries, quite an important share in the total goods transport. The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and France are regarded as the main important countries, taking into consideration both the volume of the cargo transported and tonne-km performed. The tendency since the begin-ning of the 90-ies has been positive. There are strong fluctuations in such countries as Poland, Austria or Luxembourg. The volume of good transported by inland waterway transport as well as the tonne-km performed in selected European countries has been presented in the article. The countries are obliged to deliver the data on inland water-way transport to the Eurostat.

Inland waterway transport is regarded as a very economical and safe type of transport. It is a very good alternative for some other types of transport (mainly road and railway). However the possibility of using this type of transport depends mainly on the degree of inland waterways development and inland fleet possessed by each country. In this connection the main aim of the article is to present the state of inland waterways (length and density) and also changes in the inland waterway fleet of European coun-tries. The analysis of the above-mentioned variables was based on the Statistical Office of European Communities data.

The aim of this paper is appraisal of external and internal factors determining the functioning and growth of Polish shipping companies with particular emphasis on Pol-ska Żegluga Morska (PŻM). Present PŻM operating environment has been presented in relation to past 55 years of the company’s history. The legal, organizational and func-tional analysis for the years 1951 through 2005 has confirmed the argument that state ownership of the company’s assets is not an obstacle in reaching positive economic results and in company growth. Particular attention has been paid to human factor and its important role in the development of companies forming the PZM Group. Applied methods of strategic and marketing analysis have led to formulation of de-velopment trends, main aims and strategic tasks whose implementation will increase PŻM competitiveness in the global market of seaborne transport.

The article presents the results of research on the cleanness of the River Noteć. The analysis was were executed in the period 18–30 August 2005 by students from the Scientific Circle of Ecology, Maritime University, in time of student training period on the ship "Wł. Łokietek". Using the method of spectro-photometer UV (205–320 nm length), the following indicators were qualifield: the total organic carbon, chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, content of nitrates, total suspended solids and surfactants.

Examples of lack of different information in design of interbranch models of Input–Output type are presented. The lack of economic sense in production expenditure’s matrix used in the economic-mathematical model is demonstrat-ed. The conclusion relates to lack of utilization W. Leontjew’s model.

The article refers to 5 examples of disadvantages of basic principles of cur-rent methodology of interbranch balances of Input–Output type construction and W. Leontjef's economic-mathematical model. The main streams of ideal interbranch planning are defined.

On the ground of literature the barrier effect and the cathodic protection in paint coatings with metallic pigments have been explained. Influence of water particles and the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the Sun on the protective action of paint coatings with metallic pigments has been shown on the ground of own investigations.

This article overviews provisions of Polish and European and international law regarding mobile workers’ working time. The presentation concerns the subject matter range of legal acts, the concept of working time and periods of availability of drivers, the limitations of drivers’ working time and obligatory breaks and rest periods.

This article, continuing considerations on the measures determining the ca-pacity of water traffic engineering system, refers to a rational choice of traffic capacity for acceptable operating conditions. The theoretical foundation has been supported with examples of real values of quantities identifying the pro-cess of vessel traffic. The simulation method has proved to be useful in deter-mining measures of choice of the capacity characteristics of a WTE system. Important practical conclusions have been drawn.

In the first part of the concepts of human factor and management have been defined as well as considerations introduced on current trends in the scope of employment and management of personnel in the company. Next, the basic legal acts connected with safe manning of sea-going vessels, especially with the prob-lem of crews fatigue, has been shown against the background of considerations in the first part. Suggestions for optimizing the manning of sea-going vessels in order to raise safety of navigation and environmental protection have been in-cluded in the final conclusions.

Possible approaches to the restructuring process have been presented in the article. Some definitions found in literature have been discussed. A different approach to restructuring Polish companies compared to West European and American ones has been underlined. The complexity of the course of restructur-ing has been show, with the stage of monitoring the effects of changes taken into special consideration.

The article presents ideas concerning various models of human reactions to changes planned in the company. In practice, employees, who fear the loss of their present position and priviledges, most often react to the process of chang-es in a negative way. The article present methods of forming positive attitudes towards restructuring. One of the basic tools in personnel management in the process of restructuring is a good information flow towards employees.

The article ilustrates the idea and system of maritime economy. It defines specific features, kind of risk and uncertain areas this economy. An attempt has been made to define the sphere of maritime economy. The article closes with the synthetic condition and structure of Polish maritime economy in the year 2004 against the background of changing tendency of Polish maritime economy in years 1985 – 2003.

This article pictures the forming of container trade in Poland. It mentions and generally presents container links and shipowners whose wich vessels enter Polish ports. It classifies container transportation by its largeness, qualities and frequency. It illustrates the manner Polish harbours prepare to handle contain-erized cargoes and shows the direction of their development.

The work covers the physical and chemical conditions of releasing and marking glyceral in roasted coffee in the presence of malone dialdehyde, as tricarbonic com-pounds, by destilation, thiobarbiturate method, with the introduction of alcaline hydrol-ysis. These compounds usually disturb each other during marking, being strongly reac-tive substances with multifaceted pathogenic interactions. The article is part of a cycle of studies on the research of goods quality from overseas countries.

The work contains a selection of physical and chemical parameters of releasing, determination of density and optimal conditions of malone aldehyde (MDA) determina-tion in roasted coffee by means of thiobarbiturate method with alkaline hydrolysis pa-tented previously, useful for the assessment of numerous raw materials and goods. MDA is an undesirable compound in food; during condensation reaction to the form of, e.g., gas pitch, it is a radical-forming compound. The article is part of a cycle of studies on the research of goods quality from overseas countries.

The article presents a method of processes improvement called “Six Sig-ma”. It discusses key elements of the method and its relations to Total Quality Management and ISO 9001. The article quotes examples of the Six Sigma meth-od applications in concerns worldwide, as well as information on the method itself, possibilities and needs of its application in a condensed way. It also em-phasises its importance for quality systems functioning as part of work process improvement.