Work on the construction of the first ferry for PŻM is advanced, it is possible that the hull will be launched in the third quarter of 2023, then finishing works will begin, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Marek Gróbarczyk told Polish Press Agency.

At the end of October last year Gróbarczyk announced on social media that the cutting of sheets for the construction of ferries for the Polish Maritime Shipping Company and the Polish Baltic Shipping Company began in Gdańsk. Earlier, the deputy minister informed PAP that the construction of the first unit was to start in 2022.

A representative of the Ministry of Infrastructure, asked by PAP about the progress of this investment, said that the works are advanced and it can be expected that in the third quarter of 2023 the hull of the first unit will be launched.

"After the advancement of works on the construction of individual sections, the entire hull will probably be launched in the third quarter of this year. Then the finishing works on the vessel will begin" - said the deputy minister of infrastructure.

Gróbarczyk emphasized that the first unit - in accordance with the adopted schedule - is to be commissioned at the turn of 2024 and 2025.

The contract for the construction of the ferries was concluded in November 2021, and in December of that year, Polskie Promy received PLN 1 billion in capital, including PLN 650 million from the State Treasury, which acquired new shares in Polskie Promy; the remaining amount is debt financing for the company.

The contract provides for a three plus one option, i.e. the construction of three ferries and possibly a fourth. Asked about a possible revision of the project, Deputy Minister Gróbarczyk stressed that it had not changed.

"Our goal is to implement the contract in its current form, i.e. three plus one" - he added.

The recipient of the first and third ferry is to be PŻM, the second - PŻB. The ferries will be built for Polskie Promy, whose shareholders are the State Treasury and PŻM, by Gdańska Stocznia Remontowa im. Józef Piłsudski in Gdańsk through the special purpose vehicle Remontowa Ropax Sp. z o. o.

Each of the planned ro-pax ferries (passenger and car ferries with increased cargo space) is to be 195.6 m long and 32.2 m wide. The ferry will be able to travel 400 passengers, the crew will be 50 people.