The first steel cutting ceremony for the new naval rescue ship “Ratownik” was held at the Polish naval shipyard PGZ Stocznia Wojenna.
The symbolic cutting of the first steel plate marks the beginning of the construction of the unit, which will strengthen the rescue capabilities of the Polish Navy and the protection of critical underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.
The contract for the construction of the rescue vessel, which will be carried out by the Polish Armaments Group together with the PGZ Stocznia Wojenna shipyard and the Centrum Techniki Morskiej research and development center, was signed with the Armaments Agency in December 2024. The contract value exceeds 1 billion złoty (approx. €235 million). The implementation of the project is planned for the years 2025 to 2029.
Adam Leszkiewicz, President of the Management Board of the Polish Armaments Group, said at the ceremonial cutting of the flame that the start of construction of the “Ratownik” is another step in the implementation of the Polish Navy’s strategic modernization program. The ship will be the most modern rescue vessel in the Baltic Sea and will be equipped with advanced systems for underwater rescue and the protection of critical infrastructure. The construction of the “Ratownik” is also proof of the growing expertise of PGZ companies in the implementation of the most demanding shipbuilding projects.
For Marcin Ryngwelski, President of the Management Board of PGZ Shipyard Stocznia Wojenna, the flame-cutting ceremony heralds a key phase of the project. The shipyard team is using the experience gained from the construction of the Miecznik frigates. The “Ratownik” will replace units that have been in service for over 50 years and will provide the Polish Navy with operational capabilities that meet the current challenges of maritime security. The implementation of this program also confirms the shipyard’s readiness to carry out several demanding shipbuilding projects in parallel
Main task: the rescue of submarines
The rescue ship ‘Ratownik’, which is being procured as part of the modernization program of the Polish Armed Forces, is a specialized support unit intended primarily for the rescue protection of the operational use of submarines. The ship will be equipped with modern rescue systems and technologies for securing underwater infrastructure. The procurement of the “Ratownik” is directly linked to the Orka program, the purchase of new submarines for the Polish Navy.
After the Miecznik-class multipurpose frigates and the Kormoran II-class mine countermeasures units, the Ratownik is another program for the procurement of surface vessels for the Polish Navy, which will be implemented in national shipyards with the participation of the Polish defence industry, including companies from the Polish Armaments Group.
The project schedule provides for the laying of the keel in February 2026, launching in 2027 and delivery of the ship to the Polish Navy in 2029.
Technical details of the rescue ship “Ratownik”
- Overall length: approx. 96 m
- Maximum width: approx. 19 m
- Maximum displacement: approx. 6,500 tons
- Range: approx. 6,000 nautical miles
- Maximum speed: 16 knots
- Crew: 100 people + 9 additional specialists
