Polska Żegluga Morska (PŻM) has expanded its fleet with the addition of a new bulk carrier, built at a Chinese yard under the Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company (DSIC) group. Polsteam Wadąg is the tenth of twelve modern vessels designed to operate not only on conventional fuel but also in a methanol-ready configuration.

The handover ceremony took place in China. According to PŻM, the vessel’s inaugural voyage will carry aluminium ingots from Port Klang in Malaysia to Gebze, Turkey, and Varna, Bulgaria. Captain Piotr Mikołajczyk will command the ship, while long-time company associate Bożena Golik served as godmother for the naming ceremony.

Polsteam Wadąg (IMO: 1027196) is a Great Lakes-capable bulk carrier, built to navigate the canals and locks connecting the North American inland waterway system to the Atlantic Ocean. Vessels designed for this route are commonly referred to as “lakers” due to their size restrictions. The ship measures 200 metres in length, 24 metres in beam, and has a deadweight tonnage of up to 37,000 DWT. Like other vessels in this series, she sails under the flag of Madeira.

Two additional bulk carriers from the same series are scheduled to join the PŻM fleet later this year. The company currently operates over 50 vessels, the majority constructed at Chinese shipyards. With the United States seeking to limit the role of Chinese-built ships—potentially through additional fees—questions are emerging over the implications for Polish operators, given that lakers routinely transport Chinese steel to American ports.