The Inland Navigation Office exercises the powers of the Director of the Office, which arise from the Act of 21 Dec 2000 on Inland Navigation. The competence of the Director concerns matters relating to state administration connected to the practice of inland navigation and it includes:

• Supervision over the safety of inland navigation;
• Carrying out ship inspections and proceedings in matters concerning shipping accidents;
• Supervision over observing navigation provisions, shipping and consignment documents, and provisions concerning Inland Shipping Fund  and Reserve Fund;
• Maintaining administrative records of Polish inland navigation vessels;
• Issuing personal and ship documents;
• Establishing rules of local law.

The territorial scope of the actions of the Director of Inland Navigation Office includes:

a) Inland waterways:

• The Oder River from the 542.4 km (the mouth of the Lusatian Neisse) to the border with the internal waters;
• The West Oder River, together with a branch beginning at the weir in the town of Widuchowa at 704.1 km of the Oder river to the border with the internal waters;
• Lake Dąbie to the border with the internal waters;
• The Warta River from the mouth of the Noteć River to the mouth of the Oder River;
• The Lusatian Neisse River from Gubin to the mouth of the Oder River.

b)  Inland waters, different from inland waterways, within the borders of West Pomeranian Voivodeship and the following counties (powiaty) of Lubusz Voivodeship: Gorzów County, Międzyrzecz County, Słubice County, Strzelce-Drezdenko County and Sulęcin County – within the scope provided for by Article 1 Item 3 the Act of 21 Dec 2000 on Inland Navigation.