Szczecin New Shipyard
Szczecin New Shipyard Ltd. Stocznia Szczecinska Nowa Sp.zo.o. ul.Hutnicza 1 71-642 Szczecin Poland Tel + 48 91 450 14 46 + 48 91 459 11 88 Fax + 48 91 459 11 77 + 48 91 459 20 91
The shipyard in Szczecin has experienced the most radical financial troubles since the economic and political opening of the country. Nevertheless the management has succeeded in getting rid of some heavy burdens from the past. The Szczecin shipyard has always built unusual, technologically advanced vessels which won recognition of the shipowners and admiration of the international shipping world. During the sixty years of its existence, the Szczecin shipyard built over 680 vessels, from simple steamers up to extremely sophisticated and unique in the world chemical carriers, paper carriers or con-ro vessels. In the record-breaking year 1995, 21 vessels were delivered by the yard to their owners. Two years later the shipyard was recognized as the best Polish exporter. In terms of shipbuilding volume and orders, it was ranked first in Europe and fifth in the world.
Shipbuilding in Szczecin dates back to the 18th century. The shipyard, as it is known today, was established on the premises belonging before World War Two to two German plants Oderverke and Vulcan. They were renowned for building transatlantic liners, then a symbol of modernity and luxury. 21 such ships were built in the years 1897 ? 1924. The biggest transatlantic liner constructed in Szczecin was 220 m long and carried 2,680 passengers.
The period of prosperity was interrupted by World War Two, which was the most tragic time in the shipyard's history. Despite the fact that the plant was heavily bombed, its potential was successfully rebuilt thereon. After 1945, the shipyard made, among other vessels, 41 ore-and-coal carriers of the B 32 type. The seventh of them, the ?Malbork?, was the first ship delivered to Polsteam (P°M), which has its seat in Szczecin. The last vessel of the series, delivered in 1999, was the ?Pilica? bulk carrier.
The vessels constructed in Szczecin include oceano-graphic ships, scientific & research vessels, floating power plants, floating workshops, training / cargo ships, ferries, big oceangoing tugs and chemical carriers. The shipyard gained international renown especially for its B 76 chemical carriers. 12 such vessels were built in the years 1975 ? 1977, each having a capacity of 28,000 DWT, with 41 stainless steel clad tanks. Although it took 20 months to build the prototype, the next vessels left the slipways as if it was mechanical production line. On the average, one new chemical carrier was delivered by the shipyard to the ship-owner every 72 days. The first B 76, named the ?Bow Fortune?, was recognized by the American shipping magazine ?Marine Engineering Log? as the most interesting vessel of the year 1975.
In the 1980s, the Szczecin shipyard was busy building hospital ships (B 320). Four of them were constructed, each having a few wards, 100 beds, 7 operating rooms, intensive care units, laboratories, isotopic and X-ray rooms. Also the ?Vityaz? type scientific & research vessels (B86) and the unique geophysical vessels (B 93) were an innovative solution. Moreover, in those years the shipyard began production of the ?Neftegaz? type vessels, large-size oceangoing tugs, as well as 30,000 DWT product carriers. In the 1990s, the shipyard became famous for its production of the mid-size container ships (having a capacity of 900 to 1700 TEU). 102 of such vessels were built over the decade, the principal buyers being the shipowners from Germany, Chile, Hong-Kong, Cyprus and Russia.
In 1998, the Szczecin shipyard built and delivered the 600th vessel from the beginning of its existence. It was the "Mitrope" sulfur carrier for Polsteam. The next prototype was multi-purpose general cargo carriers, commonly called paper carriers. Up till now, eight of them have been built for the Dutch shipowner Spliethoff. The vessels of this type are capable of carrying any type of cargo: containers, general cargo, paper bales, bulk cargo, large-size cargo, as well as nuclear waste.
Szczecin shipyard's basic production premises cover approx. 700,000 sq. m. Located within this area are hull processing and prefabrication departments, slipways, assembly yards, outfitting shops and berths, as well as power and storage facilities. The total usable area of the buildings is approx. 278,000. sq. m. The berths have a total length of 1120 m and are equipped with 11 cranes, having max. outreach 42 m and max. lifting capacity 50 t. The yard's premises are connected by a siding to the national railway network. The shipyard has at its disposal metal plate cutting and processing machines which are necessary for production of steel structures, including ones of duplex steel. Moreover, the yard has up-to-date specialized facilities for anticorrosion protection operations. Their maximum annual processing capability is 1256 ship's sections and 460 hatch covers. The shipyard's equipment also includes 8 shot-blasting towers.
In May 2002 shipyard workers took to the streets in Szczecin, a development that could be troubling to the left-wing government. Economic woes and Leszek Miller's government's uncertain policies were perceived as the cause of mounting labor unrest. The latest protests, which included work stoppage, came in the Szczecin shipyard, the third-largest in Europe and 11th in the world. The workers would like Prime Minister Miller to come to the shipyard but so far he had refused. The Szczecin shipyard reportedly owed half a billion dollars; it was struggling because of delivery delays and the strength of the zloty. Government bailout seemed unlikely, and according to Minister Jacek Piechota would be ineffective without the banks, even though ship-building is very important for the overall economy, and the holding company that owns the Szczecin shipyard is the largest company on the Western coast.
On 06 November 2008 the European Commission concluded, following four years of investigation, that state aid granted to Gdynia shipyard and Szczecin shipyard gave rise to disproportionate distortions of competition within the Single Market, in breach of EC Treaty state aid rules, and must be repaid. The Commission simultaneously agreed to accept commitments from Poland for the implementation of the decisions in a way that will quickly create opportunities for viable and sustainable economic activities at the Gdynia and Szczecin sites and so maximise the number of sustainable jobs there. ). Szczecin Shipyard received aid of €1 billion as well as production guarantees of €697 million (again, in nominal value).
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