Polish Ferries company with one billion PLN to start Ro-Paxes construction
The company Polskie Promy (eng. Polish Ferries) has received 1 billion zlotys of recapitalisation, which will allow it to start the production of three ferries in the Batory programme, Deputy Infrastructure Minister Grzegorz Witkowski said.
– We have obtained one billion zlotys for the construction of ferries in the Batory programme. The ferries are being built by Gdanska Stocznia Remontowa (Remontowa Shiprepair Yard – red.) – Witkowski said. – The amount of PLN 1 billion has been allocated, on a commercial basis, to the company Polskie Promy, to start building the Ro-Pax ferries. An investment agreement was concluded between the State Treasury and the company Polskie Promy Ltd. As a result of implementation of that agreement, the Treasury invested 650 million by taking up new shares in the company. The remaining amount comes from debt financing obtained for the company Polskie Promy for this purpose as well – Witkowski explained.
He added that the contract was signed between the company Polskie Promy, whose shareholders are the State Treasury, Polska Żegluga Morska (Polsteam) and Remontowa. The contract, worth several billion zlotys, is the largest investment agreement signed between a domestic investor and a Polish shipyard in several decades.
Witkowski said that the contract concerns the construction of three ferries with an option for a fourth vessel. The deputy minister also said that the rest of the money needed to build the ferries will be obtained from commercial banks, with which talks are still underway.
– Having such funds from the budget it was possible to order new ferries in a Chinese shipyard, but the economic patriotism of our government predestines the order to be placed in the Polish shipyard, using its potential – emphasised the deputy minister.
He added that the ferries to be built will be ecological vessels fuelled by LNG. Witkowski also said that it had been decided to transfer 130 million PLN in bonds to Polska Żegluga Bałtycka (Polferries) for the development of the ferry market.
rel. PortalMorski.pl
