A new ferry company will be established. PŻM, Euroafrica and PŻB join forces

The Radisson Blu Hotel in Szczecin hosted the participants of the 11th International Maritime Congress on Friday (16th May). In addition to 12 discussion panels in four thematic blocks, on that day three shipping companies – Polska Żegluga Morska, Euroafrica and Polska Żegluga Bałtycka – signed a letter of intent on cooperation in ferry shipping. The concept of a new operating company to service Polish ferries on the Baltic Sea was presented.

At the press conference entitled "Ferry shipping on the Baltic Sea - new things are sailing", the heads of the companies whose ferries are managed by Unity Line (Grupa Polska Żegluga Morska and Euroafrica Linie Żeglugowe) and Polferries (Polska Żegluga Bałtycka) announced the beginning of cooperation under the joint brand POLSCA Baltic Ferries. This partnership opens a new chapter in the history of Polish ferry shipping. The combination of Unity Line and Polferries will allow for the use of many years of experience, tradition and potential of both companies. Integration under the brand POLSCA Baltic Ferries is to bring a number of benefits, including: expansion of the ferry network, safety of two stable operators, exceptional standards of passenger and carrier service, investments in a modern ecological fleet and innovative solutions, strengthening Poland's position on the maritime transport market.

Currently, intensive work is underway to refine the operational and formal details. The establishment of POLSCA Baltic Ferries will be subject to the procedure of obtaining appropriate permits to commence operational activity. This is the last stage of introducing the new, largest operator to the Polish ferry services market. The first official step was the signing of a cooperation agreement. The event was attended by the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, Arkadiusz Marchewka.

– For 30 years, Polish shipowners have been leaders in the Baltic Sea – said the deputy minister. – We have an ambitious plan to strengthen this position, to make up for the time lost in recent years. To do this, two things are needed: first, investments, second, good cooperation.

He recalled that construction of ferries for Polish shipowners is underway in a Polish shipyard.

– Last Friday, a new investment agreement was signed – he informed. – We are allocating PLN 1.3 billion for this purpose and this is an investment that aims to strengthen the role of Polish shipowners in the Baltic Sea and develop our maritime economy. The second issue is cooperation. We have shipowners that we are proud of, who have been there for many years and I am convinced that thanks to these bold investments, they will be our showcase in the Baltic Sea. They will strengthen their position and present such good offers that both those who transport something and those who want to travel from Poland to Scandinavia or from Scandinavia to Poland as tourists will increasingly use our offers.

PŻM CEO Dariusz Doskocz stressed that ferry navigation is a key activity for this company.

– Three new ferries are currently being built in a Polish shipyard, which will also be handled by the Polish Steamship Group – said D. Doskocz. – New challenges mean that we have to do something new. The only thing we can do now is to join forces as much as possible, look forward as much as possible and tighten this cooperation. Our experience shows that this is the only and best path to success.

PŻB President Piotr Redmerski assessed that the offer, which in the future will concern 10 ferries on the Baltic Sea between Poland and Scandinavia, will be the best solution for customers.

– It is the customers who decide who to sail with, on which routes – he emphasized. – We will only adapt these ferries to the market. I am glad that we are starting a new stage of cooperation. I think that the cooperation of three entities will significantly strengthen the construction of these three units, which we have been waiting for for years, meeting market conditions, i.e. having a load line of over 4 km.

He added that ambitious plans and tens of millions of savings will certainly translate into the strengthening of this group.

– I hope that the project we are working on with PŻB and PŻM will not only maintain the position of Polish shipowners in the Baltic Sea, but will even strengthen it – said Jacek Wiśniewski, director of Euroafrica Shipping Lines.

The new entity is to operate as a joint-stock company with its registered office in Świnoujście. Its equal shareholders will be three entities that have signed a cooperation agreement. It will manage the entire ferry fleet, but the shipowners will keep their trademarks and will continue to be owners of their ships. It is not yet known who will be the president of this company.

– I have been waiting for this moment for a long time, everything that connects Poland and Scandinavia – in one name – said Paweł Porzycki, chairman of the supervisory board of Polskie Promy (investor of the construction of new ships), who presented the logo of the company being created: POLSCA Baltic Ferries.

This name is to appear on the sides of three new units built in the Gdańsk Ship Repair Yard. In the case of older ferries, it will be introduced successively (during repair dockings).©℗

More on this topic in “Kurier Szczeciński” and eKurier from 19/05/2025.

Elizabeth KUBOWSKA