The 196-metre ferry - roughly the length of two football fields - can carry around 400 passengers and 270 trucks, and was built at a shipyard in Gdańsk.
It is equipped with hybrid engines running on liquefied natural gas (LNG) supported by battery systems, reducing carbon emissions compared with traditional diesel-powered ferries.
The vessel also features azimuth thrusters and steerable jets instead of conventional propellers, designed to improve manoeuvrability.
In a video posted on X on Saturday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk hailed the ferry as a symbol of Poland’s renewed maritime capabilities, highlighting his government’s practical approach to completing the project after years of delays and financial difficulties under the previous right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) government during the premiership of Mateusz Morawiecki.
Tusk said, “We paid off the debts, completed construction, and prepared a sound business plan that will help restore Poland’s strength on the Baltic,” emphasizing that his administration focuses on action rather than rhetoric, and noting that rescuing the project cost the government more than 1 billion złoty (approximately €236.85 million).
The ferry, operated by Unity Line, a Polish shipping company currently registered in Cyprus, offers hotel-standard cabins, air conditioning, soundproofing, cafés, bars, and family areas.
Its stabilisation and ballast systems ensure comfort and safety, even in rough seas, while modern fire and monitoring systems enhance security.
The vessel’s inauguration ceremony took place on 17 January in Szczecin, ahead of its first passenger voyage from Świnoujście to Trelleborg at 20:30 on 20 January. The journey is expected to take a record six and a half hours.
(mp)
Source: IAR/X/@donaldtusk/@PomZachodnie
Read more on this topic: