Today, at the CRIST shipyard, at the Dokowe Quay, the official handover ceremony of the specialized vessel called MPP took place. It was another prototype project in the history of the shipyard, but at the same time one of the most complicated.

The MPP vessel, until recently known only under its construction number NB 131, is a one-of-a-kind construction. It is a specialized pontoon designed and built for laying gravel on the seabed, on which elements of the underwater tunnel that will connect Germany and Denmark will then be placed. MPP, the construction of which started in 2021, was equipped with a filling tool, also designed and manufactured by the StoGda and CRIST design office especially for the needs of the vessel. It is remotely controlled and can be lowered from under the vessel's hull to 46 meters below the waterline. The MPP hull is 130 meters long, and the entire pontoon including the transmission belts is 149 meters long. It will employ 19 people, and its two chambers will transport 14,000 tons of gravel.

The pontoon was ordered by the international consortium Femern Link Contractors, which is implementing the entire project of building the 18-km Femern Link tunnel, connecting Puttgarden in Germany with Rødbyhavn in Denmark on the island of Lolland.

On October 9, around noon, guests gathered at the Dokowe Quay in the CRIST shipyard, including representatives of companies cooperating with the shipyard, but also the shipowner, could admire the MPP in all its glory. During the official handover ceremony of the vessel, led by Łukasz Topa, Project Director at CRIST, thanks were expressed to all interested parties. Piotr Pallach, Project Manager at CRIST, highlighted the level of complexity of the project. In turn, Sébastien Bliaut, CEO of Femern Link Contractors, the shipowner of MPP, emphasized the importance of good cooperation between all parties involved. The key moment was the official handover of the bell to the representative of the ship's owner, symbolizing the transfer of the vessel into new hands.

After the official part of the ceremony, the gathered guests could enter the MPP and visit the pontoon, which is the 482nd CRIST project during the 33 years of the company's existence.

– This is one of the most difficult projects. The design is extremely responsible. We have never made so many welds that were 100 percent inspected. We learned a lot. I think that the new project, which will be ready in the second quarter of next year, will also be positively assessed – said Irenusz Ćwirko, president of the CRIST shipyard. – I think that today's project will be remembered by many people, even those who are here today. Colleagues with whom I had worked for years from other shipyards, who are now perhaps less active, were also surprised that such a project could be implemented here. If such words come from specialists and experienced people, it means that it is really something different and we are happy about it.

– We are very proud to be here today. It's a wonderful day, we've been waiting for it for years. We started imagining the design of this ship at the tender stage in 2013. Ten years later, the ship is ready. It's a miracle and great work by CRIST and our FLC team – commented Sébastien Bliaut. He also added that once its work on the Femern Link construction is complete, the MPP will likely be used on other tunnel or bridge projects. The vessel may also be purchased by the tunnel owner, i.e. the Danish government.

– This is one of the heaviest projects we have built. From the outside it may look like a pontoon, but inside, if we look at the number of devices that are installed and the underwater frame that submerges to a depth of 40 meters and works connected to the ship with only two cables, is completely autonomous, then it is one of the most complicated projects we have built – described Łukasz Topa, Project Director at CRIST. – I have been associated and involved in the construction of this project from the beginning. All technological arrangements, arrangements with designers and the shipowner required in-depth work. It is a work of art, a work of technology and our common work, he added.

However, the transfer of the FLC vessel does not end the cooperation between the shipowner and the shipyard. The MPP itself will sail from Gdynia at the end of the month, but another complex project for the construction of the Femern Link tunnel is already under construction in the shipyard dock.

– The NB 100 project is under construction. Last week we placed the first elements connecting the hulls, these are routes, commonly called bridges. It is an equally complex vessel, composed of pontoons and a bridge part. Pontoons are built in accordance with the regulations of the classification society, while bridges comply with Eurocode EXC4 – these are the highest requirements – described Łukasz Topa.