The first of the substations, being constructed by the Baltic Operator branch in Gdynia, part of the GPBaltic, has set sail. These substations will operate on an offshore wind farm off the coast of the United States.

The Baltic Operator, a company within the GPBaltic (Grupa Przemysłowa Baltic, Industrial Baltic Group), is completing the prefabrication project for two offshore substation platforms (OSS) for an offshore wind farm on the American continental shelf. Both substation structures, built by the group, have a combined weight of over 3000 tons and will be delivered by sea to the offshore wind farm off the coast of the USA. Each of the substations measures 42 meters in length, 34 meters in width, and 22.5 meters in height. Over 300 people were involved in the project's implementation. Both substations will first sail to Denmark, where they will be equipped.

Companies within the GPBaltic have been engaged in the production of steel structures for the offshore sector for years, constructing substations and support structures for offshore wind farms, such as Kaskasi, Arkadis Ost, Borkum, Vineyard, and Ocean Wind.

– Year by year, we are increasing our production capacity for offshore wind farms, as clearly seen in recent years. In 2021-2022, we completed one substation for the Kaskasi II offshore wind farm and secondary steelwork for the Arcadis offshore wind farm. In 2023, we are delivering two substations for an offshore wind farm, and we have just begun preparing materials for two recently contracted Baltic Power substations (Baltic Sea). The Baltic Industrial Group is the largest and most experienced producer of wind towers and offshore substations in Poland – says Henryk Ogryczak, President of the Baltic Industrial Group. – So far, we have produced such structures for projects such as the Rødsand, Borkum Riffgrund I, Vineyard Wind 1, Hornsea One, Walney, and Kaskasi II offshore wind farms. Our goal is to produce between 4 to 6 substations annually – adds Henryk Ogryczak.

The work on the substations destined for the American continental shelf, which have just left Baltic Operator, took several months.

– Prefabrication began a year ago in two locations of the Baltic Industrial Group: Gdańsk and Gdynia. The final assembly of the structures was conducted at the Baltic Operator shipyard in Gdynia – says Bartosz Charkiewicz, Production Director at Baltic Operator.

GP Baltic not only constructed the steel substation structures but also handled their "white" equipment and anti-corrosion protection.

– We are the first shipyard in Poland to release a substation in such a state – adds Bartosz Charkiewicz.

Grupa Przemysłowa Baltic was established in 2020 based on the production facilities of the Gdańsk Shipyard. It is a holding company belonging to the Industrial Development Agency (ARP), primarily operating in the renewable energy market, including offshore (substations), onshore (wind towers), and shipbuilding. The holding enables the achievement of synergy effects and more harmonized activities in terms of innovation, operational efficiency, and capacity building. The entities collectively forming the Baltic Industrial Group are Baltic Operator, Gdańsk Shipyard, Energomontaż-Północ Gdynia in restructuring, and Gdynia Maritime Construction.