The signing of an agreement for the construction of a new ship for the Polish Navy took place with the participation of the Minister of National Defence, Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and the head of the National Security Bureau Jacek Siewiera. The rescue ship of the "Ratownik" („Rescuer”) program will be built at PGZ Naval Shipyard in Gdynia.

The agreement was signed on 27 December at the Academic Centre for Underwater Technology of the Polish Naval Academy named after the Heroes of Westerplatte in Gdynia, and the signatures were affixed by Jan Grabowski, Member of the Board representing the Polish Armaments Group and Brig. Gen. Artur Kuptel, Head of the Armaments Agency, representing the ordering party. The location was not chosen by accident, as the ship's tasks will be closely related to underwater operations. As reported by the Ministry of Defence, the ship acquired under the "Ratownik" programme is a support vessel, which, thanks to its specialist equipment, is intended in particular to provide rescue support for the operational activities of submarines. Their tasks include such demanding undertakings as rescuing the crews of these vessels in the event of a breakdown or other accidents.

- Today's agreement is another milestone for our maritime area. The implementation of the "Ratownik" programme will allow us to improve all the skills, technologies and knowledge that we acquire and engage in the ongoing construction of three multi-purpose frigates for the "Miecznik" programme. Cooperation between the Polish Navy and the domestic shipbuilding and arms industry in the course of implementing the Technical Modernisation Plan is a generational opportunity for our companies, within which we strive to acquire competences for both surface and underwater units, in order to be able to support efforts for the maritime security of both the Republic of Poland and our allies - said Jan Grabowski, Member of the Management Board of PGZ S.A.

– On behalf of the PGZ Naval Shipyard Crew, I would like to confirm our commitment to the Polish Navy: our team of specialists is fully prepared to implement this investment combining the latest technologies with our many years of experience. For us, the implementation of the “Ratownik” program is part of our mission to build Poland’s maritime security by providing it with the most modern ships. We are convinced that this project will prove the highest competences of the Polish shipbuilding industry in implementing even the most advanced projects for the Polish Armed Forces – said Marcin Ryngwelski, President of the Management Board of PGZ Naval Shipyard sp. z o. o.

Importantly, the construction of the ship will be carried out in domestic shipyards, with the participation of Polish industry and based on a domestic design, implemented by the Gdynia consortium MCC Ship Design & Marine Consulting. Therefore, not only the naval branch of the armed forces, but also the shipbuilding industry is to benefit from this undertaking. In this way, the program joins currently implemented projects, such as the construction of three multi-purpose frigates of the 106 project of the "Miecznik" program, three more Kormoran II type minehunters, as well as electronic reconnaissance ships of the "Delfin" program. Initial market consultations related to the construction of the hydrographic ship of the "Hydrograf" program are still underway, with Polish shipyards also applying for participation. The construction of the rescue ship is closely related to the signing of a contract for submarines of the "Orka" program, planned for next year. Given the tasks of this vessel, this gives experts, commentators and enthusiasts hope that the over 27-year odyssey of acquiring new units for underwater operations will have its desired end and in 2025 a bidder will be selected to build new submarines for the Polish Navy.

The cost of building the vessel is to amount to approximately one billion PLN. As Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said, according to the agreement, the physical commencement of construction in the form of cutting the steel sheets should take place within 12 months of signing the contract, and the laying of the keel two months later. This means that the related shipyard work should begin at the end of December 2025 or early January 2026. The launch of the ship would take place as early as 2027, which would mean the unit entering service before 2030. Let us recall that even if the contract for the submarines of the “Orka” program is signed next year, the first vessel will enter service no sooner than after 2031. The new ship will become part of the Support Ships Division of the 3rd Ship Flotilla and will be stationed at the Świnoujście Naval Port. It will replace two older Piast-class rescue ships, introduced into service in 1973-1974. According to the design assumptions, the length of the future unit is to be 95 meters, width 18.8 meters and the draft to reach 5 meters. The maximum displacement is 6,000 tons. The crew is to consist of about 110 officers and sailors. The vessel's equipment will include unmanned surface and underwater vehicles, as well as a landing pad for servicing helicopters and drones. In addition to supporting submarine crews, including readiness to rescue them, the “Ratownik” is to be capable of, among other things, to conduct rescue operations within the SAR framework, fight fires on the water (both leaks and on board surface units), as well as support underwater works and monitor critical infrastructure (e.g. gas pipelines and transmission cables) located underwater.