The Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. shipyard in Gdansk held a ceremony of cutting sheets for the construction of the fourth mine destroyer proj. 258. This is a symbolic start of the process of delivering the second batch of ships of this type for the Polish Navy.

During the event, Marcin Ryngwelski, the president of the Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A., presented the commitment of the Gdansk shipyard to the development of the Polish Navy. It's at the shipyard that three ships of this kind, ORP Kormoran (601), ORP Albatros (602) and ORP Mewa (603), were built between 2013 and 2022. All of them serve in the 13 th Minesweeper Squadron (13. Dywizjon Trałowców) of the 8th Coast Defense Flotilla (8. Flotylla Obrony Wybrzeża, 8. FOW) and stationed at the Gdynia Naval Port. These are also not the only units built by shipbuilders - between 2017 and 2021 Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. delivered six tugboats B860, which are also in the equipment of the naval forces.

In addition to the shipyard's authorities, the ceremony was attended by representatives of the Polish Navy's personnel - the head of the Armament Board of the MW rear admiral Włodzimierz Kulagin, the head of Marine Technology in the Armament Inspectorate captain Piotr Skóra, the commanders of the 12th and 13th Minesweeper Squadron, the future commander of ORP Jaskółka lieutnant Kamil Kalina, president of Polish Register of Ships Henryk Śniegocki, master mariner of the Maritime Convention Capt. gr. Zbigniew Sulatycki, as well as representatives of PGZ Stocznia Wojenna S.A., state institutions and universities.

„One of the types of armed forces that is undergoing dynamic and technological development is the Navy. With the participation of the domestic defense industry, it is constantly being strengthened and effectively modernized. Not long ago, the third unit of this type, ORP Mewa, was incorporated into the fleet, and already today we are witnessing a historic moment, the ceremony of burning the plates for the fourth mine destroyer. This solemn event fills us with pride that Polish sea areas will be guarded by such modern units. It is also a great satisfaction that the construction of technically advanced naval vessels is taking place in Polish shipyards. I believe that the shipyard will perfectly cope with this responsible task," stressed Lieutenant General Commander of the Armed Forces Gen. Wiesław Kukuła in a letter read out during the ceremony.

After 12 o'clock the cutting of metal sheets for the construction of a mine destroyer, which will receive the side number 604. It will be called ORP Jaskółka. This, as well as the next ships in the series, ORP Czajka and ORP Rybitwa, will be handed over to the ordering in 2026-2027. They will become part of the 12th Minesweeper Squadron (12. Dywizjon Trałowców) of the 8th Coast Defense Flotilla, stationed at the Swinoujscie Naval Port.

Later in the ceremony, Marcin Ryngwelski, the president of the Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A., Henryk Śniegocki, president of Polish Register of Ships, and captain Piotr Skóra the head of Maritime Technology in the Armaments Inspectorate signed a document signing the construction of the ship.

The future ORP Jaskólka is being built under a contract approved last June 26 by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Mariusz Blaszczak. The parties to the contract are the Armament Agency - on the part of the State Treasury, and the consortium consisting of: Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. (leader), PGZ Stocznia Wojenna Sp. z o.o. and Research and Ośrodek Badawczo-Rozwojowy Centrum Techniki Morskiej S.A. The design of the ship was carried out by the Remontowa Marine Design & Consulting office of Remontowa Holding. As before, classification supervision over the construction of the vessel will be performed by the Polish Register of Shipping.

The mine destroyer type Kormoran 2 aren't the only vessels to be built for the Polish Navy with the participation of the Gdansk shipyard. It is also a member of the consortium, responsible for the construction of multi-role frigates of the Miecznik program, which also includes Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa S.A., PGZ Stocznia Wojenna sp. z o.o. The foreign partners in the venture are Babcock, Thales UK and MBDA UK. Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. will also be a subcontractor for the construction of the hulls of two signal intelligence reconnaissance ships of the Delfin program. The main contractor for the contract signed with the Armaments Agency on November 25 is Saab, which is responsible for further construction work, including retrofitting the ships with appropriate equipment and technological solutions.