A Polish shipyard has been awarded its largest-ever order, constructing seven next-generation ferries for a Scottish company.
Remontowa Shipbuilding, based in Gdańsk, northern Poland, beat off competition from the Netherlands, Turkey and the U.K. to win the contract with CalMac, a major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries to the west coast of Scotland.
Six of the ferries will accommodate 150 passengers and 24 cars each, while the seventh will carry 250 passengers and 16 cars.
The first ferry is expected to be delivered in the third quarter of 2027, with the full contract projected to be completed by the first quarter of 2029.
“This is the largest order for the construction of a series of passenger ships in the history of our shipyard in terms of the number of units and the value of the entire contract,” Remontowa said.
“These will not be the first vessels built in our shipyard for this shipowner. Between 2005 and 2011, we delivered three ferries, designed to serve passenger and car traffic between Glasgow and other major cities on the west coast of Scotland, as well as the islands of the Western Isles archipelago.
“An order from a returning client is confirmation of our competence, experience and innovative approach to the tasks at hand.”
Poland has a long history of shipbuilding, dating back to the Middle Ages. The industry expanded significantly in the 20th century, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s, with major shipyards in Gdańsk, Gdynia, and Szczecin producing ships for domestic and Soviet markets.
During the communist era, Poland became one of the world’s top shipbuilding nations, exporting most of its output to the Soviet Union.
The sector remains a key part of Poland’s maritime economy, although its global market share has declined and focus has shifted more toward ship repair and maintenance.
Six of the ferries will accommodate 150 passengers and 24 cars each, while the seventh will carry 250 passengers and 16 cars.
The first ferry is expected to be delivered in the third quarter of 2027, with the full contract projected to be completed by the first quarter of 2029.
“This is the largest order for the construction of a series of passenger ships in the history of our shipyard in terms of the number of units and the value of the entire contract,” Remontowa said.
“These will not be the first vessels built in our shipyard for this shipowner. Between 2005 and 2011, we delivered three ferries, designed to serve passenger and car traffic between Glasgow and other major cities on the west coast of Scotland, as well as the islands of the Western Isles archipelago.
“An order from a returning client is confirmation of our competence, experience and innovative approach to the tasks at hand.”
Polish shipbuilding
Poland has a long history of shipbuilding, dating back to the Middle Ages. The industry expanded significantly in the 20th century, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s, with major shipyards in Gdańsk, Gdynia, and Szczecin producing ships for domestic and Soviet markets.
During the communist era, Poland became one of the world’s top shipbuilding nations, exporting most of its output to the Soviet Union.
The sector remains a key part of Poland’s maritime economy, although its global market share has declined and focus has shifted more toward ship repair and maintenance.
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