Polish ferry operators PZB, PZM and Euroafrica, operating under the Polferries and Unity Line brands, have merged to form Polsca Baltic Ferries.
The move is a response to the growing demands of the Baltic ferry market, the need for operational efficiency and the increasing focus on sustainable, high-quality transportation services.
The initiative is not a formal merger, but a harmonized operational alliance focusing on synergies, investments and coordinated development, it has now been announced.
The objectives of the new brand include an expanded and integrated route network between Poland and Scandinavia, joint investments in modern, environmentally friendly vessels, uniform standards for customer service and safety, and improved competitiveness and market visibility.
Polsca connects Poland and Scandinavia
The name Polsca is a combination of the names Polska and Scandinavia and is intended to send a clear signal: This project was launched in Poland with a supra-regional vision. The use of “c” instead of “k” is a deliberate choice and ensures both linguistic accessibility and the originality of the brand.
Arkadiusz Marchewka, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Infrastructure, emphasized the symbolic significance of Polsca Baltic Ferries during a press conference in Szczecin: “Poland is making a splash in the Baltic region – in the truest sense of the word. Our ferry operators have signed an agreement and will be operating under a single brand in future: Polsca. The name is ingeniously simple: Polsca with a ‘c’ symbolizes the connection between Poland and Scandinavia. Yesterday we announced a program to build new ferries; today we are announcing the cooperation between the ferry operators. The goal is clear: to give Polish shipping real influence in the Baltic market. The Baltic Sea will be Polish.”
The establishment of Polsca is in line with the Polish government’s comprehensive investment programme for ferry construction and the modernization of shipping. By combining their efforts, the two companies aim to accelerate fleet renewal, improve service and strengthen Poland’s position in the Northern European transport corridors.
Polsca Baltic Ferries, headquartered in Świnoujście, will operate as a public limited company with three companies as equal shareholders: PŻM, EuroAfrica Shipping Lines and PŻB. The company plans to initially operate with a fleet of 10 ferries. Three more ships are currently being built at the Remontowa ship repair yard in Gdansk. The first ship, the 196 m long “Jantar Unity”, which is due to be delivered by the end of the year, will already be operating under the new PolSca branding. This RoPax ferry has a capacity of 4,100 loading meters on the vehicle deck and can carry up to 400 passengers.
Who is behind the shipping companies?
The Unity Line has been operated by the state-owned company Polska Żegluga Morska and the private company Euroafrica Shipping Lines (a Hass Holdings company) for 30 years. Both companies have three ferries operating between Świnoujście and Ystad and between Świnoujście and Trelleborg.
Polferries has been operated by Polska Żegluga Bałtycka since 1976 and has 4 ferries in the Baltic Sea (and 1 charter ferry in the Mediterranean). This company operates the route between Swinemünde and Ystad and between Gdansk and Nynäshamn. (CE)
