The sensitivity of bacteria, isolated from coastal marine sediments and waters of Sopot beach, Gdańsk Bay (Poland), to heavy metals in the presence of mineral ship motor oil were studied. All isolated heterotrophic bacteria were resistant to the 0.1 mM lead concentration occurring in the environment. Metal resistance of bacteria isolated from coastal water was strongly related to mineral ship motor oil concentration. At 0.1% mineral ship motor oil (stimulating bacteria growth) Pb and Cd resistance was lower compared to 1% oil concentration. The number of Pb-resistant bacteria, isolated from shoreline sediments, decreased with increasing metal and oil concentrations within the range occurring in the environment. The number of Cd-resistant bacteria at 0.1 mM Cd concentration was slightly stimulated by 1% concentration of mineral ship motor oil.