The creation of POLSCA Baltic Ferries, a company that will operate ferries currently under the Unity Line and Polferries brands, was announced Friday in Szczecin by Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Arkadiusz Marchewka. The new entity aims to compete more effectively with German and Scandinavian operators.

A letter of intent to establish the new Polish Baltic ferry operator was signed by the heads of three shipping companies: Dariusz Doskocz (Polska Żegluga Morska), Piotr Redmerski (Polska Żegluga Bałtycka) and Jacek Wiśniewski (EuroAfrica). POLSCA will start with a fleet of ten ferries, offering the densest network of connections to Scandinavia.

“We aim to build a strong Polish brand in the Baltic. Ferry shipping is a cornerstone of the ‘Polish Sea’ program,” Marchewka said, referring to the program announced Thursday in Szczecin by Prime Minister Donald Tusk to strengthen the Polish maritime economy.

Marchewka noted that Polish ferry operators have been leaders in the Baltic for 30 years, but competition is increasing, with German and Scandinavian companies operating alongside Unity Line (PŻM and EuroAfrica) and Polferries (PŻM). “We have an ambitious plan to regain market share. This requires investment and close cooperation,” he added.

Last Friday, a new investment agreement was signed to secure financing for the construction of new ferries for Polish operators at a Gdańsk shipyard, with PLN 1.3 billion allocated. Three new vessels will join the Unity Line fleet, with the first expected this autumn and the next in 2026 and 2027.

Dariusz Doskocz, CEO of PŻM, announced the new livery and logo, combining the white letters “pol” and yellow “sca.” He emphasized that Polish operators must unite to succeed, recalling that Unity Line was established 30 years ago through cooperation between PŻM and EuroAfrica.

Paweł Porzycki, chairman of the supervisory board of Polskie Promy, which will oversee further consolidation of Polish ferry operators, highlighted that today’s market is more challenging than in the 1990s, affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. He noted that there are now four major competitors in the Baltic.

The new company will manage ten ferries while owners retain their brands, with a single unified ticketing system for passengers and freight customers. POLSCA will operate as a joint-stock company with equal shareholders: PŻM, EuroAfrica, and PŻB, based in Świnoujście. Unofficial sources indicate that Piotr Redmerski, current CEO of Polska Żegluga Bałtycka, will head POLSCA.

Currently, Unity Line operates six ferries and Polferries five, including four on the Baltic. In 2024, these companies transported around 215,000 trucks and 200,000 passengers on their routes from Poland to Scandinavia. The recently launched Polferries LNG-powered ferry Varsovia serves the Świnoujście–Ystad route and can carry 920 passengers, 160 trucks, and 200 cars.

The POLSCA initiative is expected to strengthen Polish ferry services, expand the network of connections, and enhance efficiency, aiming to provide high-quality services and compete effectively on the Baltic Sea.