31 october 2023
Polish Ro-Pax is already afloat!
- This day will go down in history - said Adam Ruszkowski, CEO of Remontowa Holding S.A., during the launching of the first Ro-Pax ferry for the company Polish Ferries at Remontowa Shiprepair Yard in Gdańsk on October 31, 2023. Unity Line, a subsidiary of Polish Steamship Company, will operate the vessel.
- Mr Soyka dreamt that we would build naval ships and ferries. Today, that dream is coming true before our very eyes. We haven't built ferries like this, such a large, complex, modern one. We have taken on a challenge that other shipyards have not met. The last time ships of this type were built in Poland was over 30 years ago. Even outside our country, the shipyards in Europe that build such ferries can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Remontowa is among them - Adam Ruszkowski emphasised.
The Remontowa Holding’s CEO expressed special gratitude to the late Chairman Piotr Soyka's family, the majority stakeholder in Remontowa Holding, which owns Remontowa Shiprepair Yard.
- I extend our thanks to Ms Bogna Soyka, who has continuously supported us in our daily work for the development of the Shipyard and the entire Remontowa Holding group. Without her wisdom, kindness, many conversations and the immense support we feel daily, there would be neither today's launch nor this contract. But most of all, without Ms Bogna, there would be no Remontowa Holding today in the ownership and organisational shape left to us by the late Chairman Piotr Soyka, who committed us to continue that great work he began 34 years ago.
Guests at the ceremony also included Polsteam with its General Director Andrzej Wróblewski, representatives of Polish Ferries, Polsteam, Unity Line and Polferries, representatives of the Prime Minister's office and the Ministry of Infrastructure with Marek Gróbarczyk - Secretary of State and Undersecretary of State Grzegorz Witkowski.
There were also local government officials, including Mieczysław Struk - Marshall of the Pomeranian Voivodeship; Aleksandra Dulkiewicz - Mayor of the City of Gdańsk; and Jacek Karnowski - former Mayor of Sopot and current MP. Krzysztof Dośla - Head of the Gdansk Region of NSZZ "Solidarity", represented the trade union authorities.
In the following months, the launched ferry will be outfitted, including the superstructure, until the sea trials and her handover expected in 2025.
