At the Maritime Search and Rescue Service (SAR) base in Łeba, a new boat designed to provide assistance at sea was christened and launched on 29 August. The PLN 1.2 million vessel was financed by the Orlen Foundation as part of the “Orlen na straży” (“Orlen on Guard”) programme. The new boat was named Kajetan, in memory of Kajetan Zawadzki, a long-serving rescuer at the Łeba SAR station.

The new boat was formally received on behalf of SAR by the service’s director, Sebastian Kluska. Representing the donors at the ceremony were Orlen’s Executive Director for Sponsorship and the vessel’s godmother, Sylwia Snopkiewicz, and Dariusz Krysiak, President of the Orlen Foundation. Also attending were members of Kajetan Zawadzki’s family, Łeba Mayor Agnieszka Derba, Pomeranian Deputy Voivode Emil Rojek, as well as representatives of the uniformed services and the maritime industry.

“We are dealing with a very modern vessel that will carry out its tasks in the Łeba area. This is a prototype version and, if it proves its worth in the near future, the other coastal stations will certainly be equipped with similar equipment,” said Sebastian Kluska.

Kajetan was built by SPORTIS in Koleczkowo, near Gdynia. It is a modern specialist boat more than 8 metres long, powered by engines with a combined output of 400 hp and equipped with a radar with a range of up to 45 nautical miles. The size of the deck allows resuscitation to be carried out on board. The boat will enter service in the coming days and will be used to search for survivors, as well as in search-and-rescue operations.

Sebastian Kluska added that the boat cannot operate at the offshore wind farm off the coast of Łeba because the turbines are too far away, beyond the 12-nautical-mile territorial sea of the Republic of Poland. It will, however, be able to take patients from other vessels closer to the shore.

“For SAR and the Łeba coastal station, this is an important day, as it is gaining a new, fast and modern vessel. SAR carries out important tasks within our maritime area of responsibility, covering more than 500 km of coastline and several tens of thousands of square kilometres at sea. The maritime economy is not only about transport and tourism; it now also includes major investments in our exclusive economic zone, including wind farms. My appreciation goes to the Orlen Foundation, which is taking on the challenges associated with Baltic Power near Łeba and has agreed to finance a new boat for the Łeba station,” said Pomeranian Deputy Voivode Emil Rojek.

This year, both the Orlen Foundation and the “Orlen na straży” programme are celebrating their 25th anniversaries. Orlen Executive Director for Sponsorship Sylwia Snopkiewicz stressed that the company supports other emergency services as well, not only Poland’s maritime search and rescue service. The results of another competition will soon be announced, under which PLN 20 million will be provided to Poland’s Volunteer Fire Service (OSP) units.

Photos: GospodarkaMorska.pl