The new ferry Bursztyn Unity has been handed over to its owner, the Polish Steamship Company (Polska Żegluga Morska, PŻM). The vessel will operate under the POLSCA brand on the Świnoujście–Ystad route. It was built at Gdańsk „Remontowa” Shipyard.

Following handover, the ferry will sail to Szczecin, where it will be named and enter service on 11 November. The naming ceremony for Bursztyn Unity will take place at the same location as that of Jantar Unity, at the Wały Chrobrego waterfront in Szczecin.

“This is a great day for Polish ferry shipping, because we are taking delivery of a second vessel that will join the largest ships in the Polish fleet. I think this is a great source of joy and pride for us, because such a magnificent ship was designed by Polish naval architects, built by Polish shipyard workers and will serve a Polish shipowner. It clearly shows that we can achieve great things in Poland” – Deputy Infrastructure Minister Arkadiusz Marchewka said at the handover ceremony.

Bursztyn Unity was built and launched at "Remontowa" Shipyard in December 2024. Outfitting and finishing work continued thereafter. The ferry departed for sea trials on the morning of 28 September.

The trials included checks of its propulsion system, safety systems, navigation equipment and communications systems. Its speed and manoeuvrability were also tested, and the equipment underwent final calibration. The vessel returned to Gdańsk on 6 October. A government delegation visited the ship on 15 October.

“During the construction of the ferry, 860 kilometres of cables were used and more than 15,000 pieces of equipment were installed. The monitoring system covers more than 14,000 points, while the number of cable connections reaches 50,000. These figures are impressive to anyone who has worked on projects in the maritime industry. More than 10,000 workers were involved in building the vessel” – said Adam Ruszkowski, President of the Management Board of Remontowa Holding S.A.

Dariusz Doskocz, Director of the Polish Steamship Company, also thanked everyone involved in building the ferry.

“It is a pleasure to stand before you and, on behalf of the people who will use this beautiful ship, thank all the shipyard workers and everyone who devoted so much time and effort to making the vessel look as it does today and ensuring that it is so functional. I am delighted to be able to take part in two such important ceremonies in the same year. I would like to thank the entire team, all the companies and everyone involved in delivering this project” – the PŻM president said.

“We are already inviting everyone interested to come aboard and visit the ferry. We want residents of Szczecin, the surrounding area and the wider region, as well as visitors from other parts of Poland and abroad, to have the opportunity to see this modern vessel. We are tentatively planning to open the ferry to visitors from 12 to 14 November. For 12 and 13 November, we expect to introduce advance registration to reduce waiting times in queues. 14 November will be an additional date for those who have not registered in advance” – said Paweł Pluto-Prądzyński, President of POLSCA Baltic Ferries.

On Friday, 23 October, Bursztyn Unity was officially handed over to the Polish Steamship Company. On 25 September, Deputy Infrastructure Minister for Maritime Economy Arkadiusz Marchewka announced that the ferry’s maiden voyage was scheduled for 9 November. The same information appeared in the POLSCA sailing timetable at the beginning of September. On 6 September, recruitment was also announced for the ferry’s 50-member crew.

The vessel is 195.6 metres long and 32.2 metres wide. Its crew comprises 50 people. The propulsion system consists of four liquefied natural gas (LNG) engines, a hybrid battery system and azimuth thrusters. The total length of its cargo lanes is 4,100 metres. The ferry is designed to accommodate up to 400 passengers and 270 standard lorries.

The fleet of new ferries will continue to expand in the coming years. In 2029, another vessel, Amber Unity, is due to join Jantar Unity and Bursztyn Unity, completing the series of modern ships designed to serve routes across the Baltic Sea. The two vessels already built are an important part of the renewal of Poland’s ferry fleet: modern passenger-and-car ferries designed with safety, passenger comfort and operational efficiency in mind. All three ferries are being built by Gdańsk "Remontowa" shipyard.

Photos: POLSCA Baltic Ferries