The first steel has been cut marking the start of construction work on Ratownik, the Polish Navy’s new rescue ship.
The ceremony to mark the beginning of works on the PLN 1 billion (£205 million) vessel was held at the end of last month at the PGZ Naval Shipyard in Gdynia. It is anticipated the keel of the ship will be laid in early 2026, with launch scheduled for 2027 and a Navy handover earmarked for 2029.
The new 96m rescue ship is being acquired as part of the Polish Navy’s wider strategic modernisation to complement its acquisition of three new submarines. It was announced last week that the Swedish A26-class boats produced by Saab had been picked for its Orka programme.
As per a PGZ Naval Shipyard press statement, the forthcoming Ratownik “will be the most modern rescue vessel in the Baltic Sea, equipped with advanced underwater rescue and critical infrastructure protection systems.”
While designed primarily to provide rescue support for submarine operations, she is also expected to have the capability to deploy remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous uncrewed underwater systems (UUVs and AUVs).
She will have a crew of about 100, will displace about 6,500 tonnes, a range of about 6,500 nautical miles, and will feature a flight deck for an embarked helicopter. She is thought to be based on a previously developed design that included compatibility with the NATO Submarine Rescue System (NSRS).
President of the shipyard’s Management Board Marcin Ryngwelski commented: “Today’s steel-burning ceremony begins a key phase of the project. The PGZ Naval Shipyard team leverages the experience gained during the construction of the Miecznik frigates.
“The Ratownik will replace vessels that have been in service for over 50 years and provide the Polish Navy with operational capabilities that meet contemporary maritime security challenges. The implementation of this program confirms the shipyard’s readiness to conduct several advanced naval projects in parallel.”
- You can read more details on the PGZ Naval Shipyard website