Gdansk News

The Finnish Border Guard has held a keel laying ceremony for its new patrol vessel at Baltic Operator's shipyard in Gdansk.On March 12, 2024, a keel laying ceremony was arranged at Baltic Operator’s shipyard in Gdansk. The ceremony took place in the presence of the representatives of the Finnish Border Guard, Meyer Turku, Baltic Operator and Bureau Veritas.The keel laying ceremony is an old tradition. Before the keel laying, the ordering party - the Finnish Border Guard - and the shipyard’s representative placed their lucky coins under the keel beneath the first block.Later on…

Ukraine destroyed a Russian landing warship off the coast of occupied Crimea in an operation with naval drones that breached the vessel's port side on Wednesday and caused it to sink, Kyiv's military spy agency and armed forces said.There was no immediate comment from Russia, which said earlier that it had destroyed six drones in the Black Sea. The Kremlin declined to comment."The Ukrainian Armed Forces, together with the Defense Ministry's intelligence unit, destroyed the Tsezar Kunikov large landing ship.

Lithuania said on Thursday it had been informed by a subsidiary of Polish oil refiner Orlen PKN of an oil spill in the country's waters in the Baltic Sea and had launched a probe into the incident.Lithuania's Environmental Protection Department said in a statement the subsidiary, Orlen Lietuva, had informed it on Wednesday of a 300-litre spill near the Butinge oil import terminal in connection with the loading of a tanker.It said an inspection by Lithuania later on Wednesday showed the spill measured nine kilometers by two kilometers with at least 1.8 tonnes of oil on the surface…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has been selected by Gaz-System as the preferred shipowner to time charter out a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) for the planned LNG import terminal in the Gulf of Gdańsk in Poland.Polish gas transmission system operator Gaz-System is the project developer and operator behind the future LNG terminal.This is Poland's first such FSRU and is a strategically important piece of energy infrastructure which will enhance the country's energy security.The FSRU is expected to be berthed at a mooring platform approximately 3km from the shore…

Growth in sea-borne imports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to Poland slowed 7% last year to 1.084 million metric tons, from a jump of more than 70% in 2022, with sea terminals working almost at capacity, according to traders and LSEG data.Sea-borne imports account for some 35% of total LPG supplies to Poland, while deliveries by rail was more than 50%.Poland also remained the main destination for Russian LPG, which was banned by the European Union last month over the conflict…

Despite short-term obstacles driven by high inflation and interest rates coupled with supply chain issues, we maintain that the foundations supporting long-term offshore wind activity remain solid. As we prepare for the new year, let us look at 10 factors that will shape the offshore wind sector in 2024.1. A Continuously Dynamic Energy TrilemmaThe dynamic relationship of the three key drivers of affordable energy, energy security and energy transition was clearly evident in 2023 as energy affordability and security were generally more prominent themes than the transition.

Dutch shipbuilder Damen Shipyards has recently delivered three ASD Tugs to Poland’s WUZ Ports and Maritime Services.“On the 19th of October, the flag raising ceremony for three new ASD Tugs took place in Gdansk, Poland. In the presence of a large group of Polish and international associates and company employees, the new tugs were welcomed into the fleet. This followed the christening ceremony of the second ASD Tug 2811 that took place in September in Rotterdam. Named Pax (in Latin "Peace”)…

Poland's Orlen has signed a contract with state-owned pipeline operator Gaz-System for the regasification of up to 58 liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes per year at a planned floating gas terminal, the energy company said on Friday.Poland has turned to seaborne LNG as well as gas piped from Norway via Denmark and the Baltic Sea to replace supply from Russia.The planned terminal is to be built on the Baltic Sea near Gdansk by the end of 2027 with an initial regasification capacity…

The IACS Council met in Gdansk, Poland, last week for its 87th session (C87) and elected Roberto Cazzulo of RINA as the incoming Chair of IACS as from 1 Jan 2024.C87 IACS Chair, Nick Brown of Lloyd’s Register, congratulated Cazzulo on his election, and responding, Cazzulo said “It is an honour for me to be elected, and I look forward to building on the excellent work done by Nick Brown in ensuring IACS is well positioned to meet the environmental and technological challenges faced by shipping.”Decarbonisation was high on the agenda at C87.

The prosperity of port cities, throughout history, has been closely tied to the ports’ ability to adapt to economic and technological change. As ships got bigger, ports had to keep up. This has often seen the port proper grow apart from the city whose name it bears because the old harbor could no longer accommodate the needs of modernized shipping.In those European cities located by rivers, port activities have often migrated towards the estuary. The ships headed for the port of Liverpool now berth in docks stretching north of the original Royal Albert dock…

Belgian oil tanker and storage operator Euronav reported better-than-expected first-quarter revenue and core earnings on Thursday, supported by an improvement in freight rates, and proposed raising its dividend. "The counter seasonal strength recorded in Q1 underpins our view that strong and durable drivers are in place to continue a multi-year upcycle in large crude tanker freight markets," CEO Hugo De Stoop said in an earnings statement. Euronav, one of the largest oil tanker companies in the world…

The clear winner in the race to replace Russian oil at Europe's refineries is Norway's Johan Sverdrup crude, according to Refinitiv Eikon data and traders.Johan Sverdrup was launched in 2019, making it a relative newcomer compared to Russia's Urals grade.Initially sold mostly to Asia, an EU ban on Russian seaborne oil imports imposed in December has opened up the European market where the medium sour grade has become a primary feedstock for refiners in countries such as Germany…

Rhine river traffic came to a standstill in some places on Wednesday due to strikes against French government plans to raise the pension age, with sections of the river in France, Germany and Switzerland affected, a CGT union representative and Germany's Waterways and Shipping Administration (WSA) said.Around 1.28 million people in France had participated in a sixth day of protests on Tuesday against a draft law that would see the pension age delayed by two years to 64.A blockade at Strasbourg lock on the Rhine was cleared by police and an evacuation of the blockades at the Marckolsheim lock…

Belgian oil tanker and storage operator Euronav EUAV.BR reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter revenue and profit on Thursday, driven by large crude tanker recovery and seasonal demand for crude oil.The tanker market, which has battled low earnings since the pandemic first hit oil demand, got a boost last year as Russia diverted oil exports from Europe, mainly to Asia, after many Western buyers turned to other suppliers in retaliation for Moscow's invasion of Ukraine last February."The EU embargo on Russian oil ...

Classification society Bureau Veritas has successfully reviewed a 3D design of a 2500 m³ hopper dredger from Damen Shipyards, being a step to granting it approval in principle. The pilot project for 3D model-based class approval is meant to pave the way toward using three dimensional computer designs as standard procedure to achieve class notation for seagoing vessels.Vessel steel hull Design evaluation based on 3D models in parallel to its classification review process has become possible thanks to the new data exchange format - OCX.

A new fireboat built by the Remontowa Shipbuilding SA shipyard in Gdańsk for Poland's Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority SA has been delivered in Szczecin.The new firefighting vessel Firefighter-28 left the Remontowa Shipbuilding SA shipyard in Gdańsk on November 13 and arrived at the port of Świnoujście the next day in the evening. On November 18, the delivery and acceptance protocol was signed, which means that the ship formally belongs to the Szczecin and Świnoujście Seaports Authority SA.

Dutch dredging and marine services firm Boskalis on Thursday slightly raised its 2022 profit outlook after a half-year earnings beat, as the West seeks to replace Russian gas with other energy sources.The group, which offers marine services and contracting for the oil and gas sector and offshore wind industry, reported core profit (EBITDA) of 292 million euros ($297 million) in the first six months of the year, against analysts' average estimate of 279 million euros. Russia's…

A tanker of U.S. sour crude was delivered at Germany's port of Rostock last week for the first time ever, according to sources, analysts and vessel tracking data, as local refiners test alternatives to Russian oil.The European Union plans an almost-complete embargo of Russian barrels by year-end, and is trying to wean itself off Russian crude imports, which have fed inland refineries in Germany, Poland and other central European nations via pipeline.Refiners plan to replace Russian oil with seaborne Norwegian, Saudi Arabian, British and U.S. crude grades. Russia has already shown through its natural gas exports that it is willing to cut off European destinations in a tit-for-tat over the EU's financial sanctions that followed Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February.

Seaborne oil has thrown a lifeline to refiners in eastern Germany and Poland, with non-Russian deliveries into the Polish port of Gdansk hitting at least seven-year highs this month as they switch away from Russian supply.Imports booked for May into Gdansk from Egypt, the United States, Norway, Britain and West Africa had hit 8.4 million barrels by May 16, their highest level according to Refinitiv Eikon ship tracking data that goes back to 2015.At the same time, Russian crude booked for May into Gdansk and the port of Rostock stood at 700…

NAVTOR has opened a new office in Gdansk, Poland, dedicated to accelerating development of cloud-based and AI solutions and adding to its existing software development network in Houston, St Petersburg, and Egersund, Norway.NAVTOR CEO Tor Svanes sees the move as a continuation of the firm’s evolution, as it creates a far-reaching product portfolio built on the foundations of its e-Navigation and smart shipping expertise.“It’s always been our vision to take the enhanced efficiency…

Poland could build a second floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) next to an already planned installation because the Czech Republic and Slovakia are interested in buying more liquefied natural gas (LNG), the Polish climate minister said.Czech Republic and Slovakia are seeking alternatives to cut reliance on Russian supplies. Slovakia's state gas firm SPP struck deals to buy enough piped Norwegian gas and LNG to cover about 65% of its demand until the end of next year. Read full storyPoland plans to open an FSRU unit on the Baltic Sea near Gdansk in 2026.

Finnish shipbuilder Työvene said it has secured an approximately €20 million order for a trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) from Poland's Maritime Administration.The vessel design was developed by Työvene and Dutch partners C-Job and Holland Marine Technologies. "[The project] is a tribute to the Finnish and Dutch shipbuilding tradition and shows the importance of striving for quality and truly understanding the customer’s needs," said Juha Granqvist, CEO of Työvene. "I hope…

Remontowa Shipbuiding, a member of Remontowa Holding, in Gdansk Poland delivered some impressive and innovative vessels in 2020. In October the third in a series of four electric hybrid ferries for a Norwegian customer, began sea trials, and the fourth dual-fuel (LNG/Diesel Electric) ferry for British Columbia was under construction; sophisticated vessels were built and delivered to foreign buyers.On the domestic front, the yard has also been busy, too. A pair of vessels were delivered to the Polish Maritime Authorities in Szczecin and Gdynia.