Benedykt Hac
Dr. Eng. Benedykt Hac graduated from the Polish Naval Academy in Gdynia (then WSMW, now the Polish Naval Academy – AMW) in 1982. He is a retired Lieutenant Commander of the Polish Navy and a Class A Hydrographic Surveyor. He completed advanced hydrographic studies in the United States and graduated from the Gdańsk Banking School.
From 1977 to 2000, he served in the Polish Navy, and from 1990 onward commanded the hydrographic survey vessel ORP Heweliusz. Following his naval career, he served as an officer and master on merchant and research vessels, including Doktor Lubecki and IMOR. Between 2011 and 2020, he was Assistant Professor and Head of the Operational Oceanography Department at the Maritime Institute in Gdańsk. Since 2020, he has been Head of Research and Development at GeoFusion (2020–2025). Within the BaltWreck project, he leads activities related to the development of an environmentally friendly method for remediating seabed sediments surrounding the wreck of the Stuttgart.
His professional expertise focuses on shipwreck investigations, chemical warfare agents, and their environmental impacts. He has conducted studies of numerous wrecks, including the Franken and Stuttgart wrecks in the Gulf of Gdansk. His reports formed the basis of a Supreme Audit Office (NIK) assessment concerning environmental threats to the Baltic Sea. He has investigated more than 35 shipwrecks and has participated in numerous international and national projects, including CHEMSEA and DAIMON, as well as projects related to offshore wind farms, subsea pipelines, and cable routes.
Dr. Hac has been a member of The Explorers Club (FI’15 No. 8085) and served as an expert in the HELCOM Submerged initiative from 2015 to 2020. He has organized and participated in numerous expeditions, including the search for the wreck of the Polish submarine ORP Orzeł, the “Driven by the Wind” expedition (2011), and more than ten Santi “Find Orzeł” expeditions in the North Sea.
Presentation title: "Beautiful wrecks, the ugly truth. Stuttgart, Franken and the hidden dangers of the Baltic Sea".
The Baltic Sea is one of the most fascinating wreck diving destinations in the world. Its superbly preserved wrecks attract divers with their history, mystery and extraordinary beauty. However, beneath their attractive surface lie dangers that are rarely discussed at diving gatherings.
During the presentation, participants will learn about the findings from research into two exceptional wrecks – the Stuttgart and the Franken – which have been the subject of recent projects assessing their impact on the marine environment. Among other things, the presentation will cover the effects of seabed contamination around the Stuttgart wreck and the results of a survey of one of the Baltic Sea’s largest tankers, the Franken, carried out using photogrammetry based on 24,000 photographs.
There will also be a brief discussion of chemical and conventional weapons lying in the Słupsk Trench and the deep part of Gdansk Bay.
This is a story about fascinating wrecks, modern methods of investigating them, and the hidden dangers associated with fuel, ammunition and other hazardous substances lying on the seabed of the Baltic Sea. The lecture is aimed at divers who wish to gain a better understanding of the environment in which they dive, and to explore the underwater heritage of our sea in an informed and responsible manner.