On 11 December, a topping-out ceremony took place at the PGZ Stocznia Wojenna on the 46-metre-high Hull Hall. The building is part of an investment worth over PLN 300 million related to the realisation of the largest contract in the history of the Polish Navy for the construction of three multi-role ‘Miecznik’ frigates.
The investment includes the construction of, among others, two production halls as well as the reconstruction of the already existing infrastructure and the modernisation and expansion of the machine park. As the investor emphasises, the investment is necessary for the implementation of the ‘Miecznik’ Programme and will significantly increase the production capacity of PGZ Stocznia Wojenna.
– Today, with the hanging of the topping out of the highest hall in Poland, we are celebrating the achievement of another milestone in the largest investment in the over 101-year history of our Shipyard. Just a few months ago, our new halls were only bold ideas and some doubted whether they could be realised. As you can see, everything is going according to schedule and in just a few months, in August 2024, PGZ Stocznia Wojenna will have the infrastructure and machinery and equipment that will make it the most modern shipyard in Poland! – said Paweł Lulewicz, President of PGZ Stocznia Wojenna.
During the ceremony, addressing the Shipyard’s crew, Sebastian Chwałek, President of the Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (Polish Armaments Group) said – It can be said that today PGZ Stocznia Wojenna, which is once again recording a positive economic balance, is experiencing its second youth. This is thanks to all of you – starting with Paweł Lulewicz, the President, and ending with each and every employee. I am sure that this period of prosperity will be a long one, both thanks to the Miecznik programme and the orders realised for foreign contractors. There will certainly be more than one shipyard celebration in the Hull Hall, which I sincerely wish you.
The most important task of the investment worth over PLN 300 million is the construction of a new hall in which the hulls of three frigates for the Polish Navy under the Miecznik Programme will be integrated. According to the design, the construction area will be nearly 6,000 m2. The height of the hall – 43 m (and even 46 m including the ventilation unit mounted on the roof) – will make it the tallest hall in the Polish shipbuilding industry and one of the largest of its kind in Europe. In addition, a production hall is being built to house all of the shipyard’s outfitting departments (with a built-up area of almost 5,000 m2). The consortium comprising NDI S.A., NDI SOPOT S.A. and Pekabex BET is also responsible for the expansion and reconstruction of the wharf, storage yards and internal roads, along with the modernisation of technical infrastructure at the Shipyard.
The investment is related to the implementation of the ‘Miecznik’ programme – the construction of three ultra-modern frigates for the Polish Navy. They will be built at PGZ Stocznia Wojenna in cooperation with leaders of the arms industry (Babcock, MBDA, Thales and others), as part of the largest ever contract awarded to the Polish shipbuilding industry. The first frigate will be built by 2026.
The multi-role frigates will be equipped with modern radar, artillery and missile systems. Thanks to these ships, the Polish Navy will gain new opportunities to perform a wide range of tasks in Polish maritime areas and to participate in missions and exercises organised with NATO allies.
The implementation of the project in Poland allows for the creation of approximately 2,000 jobs in shipyards, armament companies and other industrial sectors directly involved in the project. The skills gained will allow new opportunities to be developed and will help work on other projects for the Polish Navy.
