Analysis of investment level and marina certification in the process of raising safety standards on the West Pomeranian sailing route

The aim of this article was a detailed analysis of the level of investment and certification of marinas in the process of raising safety standards on the West Pomeranian Sailing Route. The first chapter describes the sailing market in Poland and West Pomerania together with the justification of needs, which was the foundation for creating a program for the development of port infrastructure and marinas in the West Pomeranian region in the Oder, Szczecin Lagoon on the Baltic Sea coast areas. The list of investment amounts allowed to determine average indicators of investment effectiveness in berths. The next chapter describes the original certification system “Bursztynowe Kotwice” [Amber Anchors] implemented by the Union of Ports and Yachts, focusing on safety-related criteria and then analyzes the 13 marinas certification on the West Pomeranian Sailing Route in the context of the achieved certification level and comparison of the number of tourists visiting this marina in the years 2015–2016. It was found that marinas that underwent certification recorded an increase in the number of yacht visitors. The incurred investments allowed to meet the minimum standards for the quality of services and safety in marinas.