Remontowa Shipbuilding is getting ready to build more ships

During the 30th International Defence Industry Exhibition MSPO, held from 6 to 9 September in Kielce, Remontowa Shipbuilding SA presented its stand.

More than 600 Polish and world leaders in the defence industry presented state-of-the-art technological solutions, including equipment for armoured and mechanised forces, tanks and combat vehicles, combat helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, armaments and equipment for the air force and navy.

For the Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. shipyard, it was an opportunity to present its capabilities and capacities in building all types of surface ships for the Polish Navy. The shipyard showed the models of three vessels: a minehunter of the 258 Kormoran II project, a tugboat of the B860 project and a frigate class sailing training ship, which attracted great interest.

– On the first day, we were visited by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Mariusz Błaszczak. We also held many talks with, among others, representatives of the General Staff of the Polish Army and the National Security Bureau,” says Marcin Ryngwelski, CEO of Remontowa Shipbuilding SA.

On the third day of the MSPO fair, at a press briefing, representatives of the PGZ-Miecznik consortium (comprising Polish Armaments Group (Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa) SA as the leader, PGZ Naval Shipyard (Stocznia Wojenna) sp. z o.o. and Remontowa Shipbuilding SA presented the progress of work on the ‘Miecznik’ (eng. Swordfish) programme, which involves the acquisition of three modern frigates for the Polish Navy. The multi-purpose vessels are expected to increase the Navy’s capabilities and allow it to perform a wide range of tasks at sea, including securing shipping waterways and critical infrastructure.

– Everything sticks to the plan. Above all, a preliminary work division has been made, i.e. determining who will make which hull blocks. The presentation was attended by representatives of all the partners involved in the Swordfish programme, from Babcock, as supplier of the platform’s concept design, to MBDA UK, the armament supplier, and Thales UK, responsible for the command management system. The project is entering its final phase in terms of preliminary design, technical and economic analysis and preparation of the investment plan. The second part of the contract, which will start next year, is already typical shipbuilding work, i.e. ‘burning in the metal’. By then, we have to prepare in terms of investment,” Ryngwelski emphasizes.

Dariusz Jaguszewski, a member of the Remontowa Shipbuilding Management Board, spoke about the shipyard’s achievements in the construction of new vessels of various types, including minehunters of the Kormoran II type, auxiliary vessels of the Tugboat programme, as well as the earlier delivery of a sailing training ship for Algeria, during the Press Briefing at the MSPO.

Referring to its participation in the Swordfish programme, he outlined the extent of the shipyard’s infrastructure modernisation and the investments being made to support the work on building frigates. These include a new line for the prefabrication of flat sections and the modernisation of machinery for bending and profile piling. There will also be a special hall for painting hull sections and blocks, which will then be assembled on the shipyard’s existing assembly line on a mounting plate that will be half-covered for this purpose.

– Thanks to this, all the elements will be built indoors, which will significantly increase the comfort of work, as our employees will be independent of the weather conditions, while the line of flat sections and new machines will streamline the entire construction process,” adds Marcin Ryngwelski, emphasizing that the ambitious investment plan also includes an ERP system to manage production, finances and purchases in the shipyard.

ORP Albatros appreciated!

During MSPO, the shipyard’s achievements to date in the construction of new ships were also recognised. The International Defence Industry Exhibition ended with the presentation of the Defender awards. During the gala, the special award of the President of the Republic of Poland and the distinctions of the ministers of the respective ministries were granted.

“The special award of the Minister of National Defence, Vice President of the Council of Ministers for the best product for the armed forces in 2022” went to the vessel of project 258 ORP Albatros built by a consortium led by Remontowa Shipbuilding SA shipyard.

– We are pleased that the Kormoran II-type mine destroyer has once again attracted admiration and respect from governmental, military and financial institutions, customers and suppliers in the industry. The appreciation of this ship is a demonstration that Polish technical thought can find its place in the order portfolio of the armed forces. In our industry around the world, shipyards that fulfil orders for the military are described as first-class. This has just been confirmed by the order for three more vessels of this type,” argues the CEO of Remontowa Shipbuilding SA.

ORP Albatros is the second in a series of modern mine destroyers commissioned by the Polish Navy at the Remontowa Shipbuilding SA shipyard. The vessels are used for searching for, identifying and combating sea mines, conducting reconnaissance of waterways, guiding other vessels through mine threat areas, laying mines and remotely controlling self-propelled anti-mine platforms.

Ultimately, the Polish armed forces will have as many as six vessels of this type at their disposal. The first – ORP Kormoran – was handed over in November 2017, while the delivery of the third ship – ORP Mewa – is expected in November this year.

In June this year, a contract was signed for the delivery of three more Kormoran II-type mine countermeasure vessels to the Polish Navy.

source: PortalMorski.pl