A topping-out ceremony was held at the PGZ Naval Shipyard in Gdynia for the Hull Hall. This is part of an investment worth more than PLN 300 million related to the realisation of the largest contract in the history of the Polish Navy for the construction of three multi-role frigates “Miecznik”. Construction of the halls will be completed in mid-2024.

“Just a few months ago, our new halls were only bold ideas and some doubted whether they could be realised. As you can see, everything is going according to schedule and in just a few months, in August 2024, PGZ Naval Shipyard will have the infrastructure and machinery and equipment that will make it the most modern shipyard in Poland”, said PGZ Naval Shipyard President Paweł Lulewicz at the ceremony.

The implementation of the project allows for the creation of around 2,000 jobs in the shipyards, defence companies and other industrial sectors directly involved in the project. The acquired competencies will allow new capabilities to be developed and will help work on other projects for the Polish Navy.

The investment in new assembly halls is related to the implementation of the “Miecznik” programme – the construction of three ultra-modern frigates for the Polish Navy. They will be built at the PGZ Naval Shipyard in cooperation with arms industry leaders British shipbuilding company Babcock, European missile manufacturer MBDA and European military electronics manufacturer Thales. Under the largest ever contract awarded to the Polish shipbuilding industry, the first frigate will be built by 2026.

The multi-purpose frigates will be equipped with modern radar, artillery and missile systems. Thanks to these ships, the Polish Navy will gain new opportunities to perform a wide range of tasks in Polish maritime areas and to participate in missions and exercises organised with NATO allies.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński