Ministry of defence wants to get multi-tasking tankers for the Navy. Companies curious in building units may proceed to preliminary marketplace consultations, which the Armed Forces Agency announced in early July. The deadline for submitting written submissions is next Friday.
ORP "Baltic" during the exercise "Ostrobok '18", 2018.
Tankers usually stay in the shadow of battleships, but without them it is hard to imagine the operation of the Navy. They transport fuel, water, spare parts. Thanks to these, crews of frigates or corvettes can replenish the deficiencies straight at sea. This is why the acquisition of specified units has been included in the process of modernization, which is presently undergoing Polish naval forces.
The “Supply” programme assumes the acquisition of 2 tankers. “For now, its implementation is in a very early stage. We announced a preliminary marketplace consultation. Those curious in them may submit applications to us for a fewer more days. The deadline is Friday, July 18th – explains Colonel Grzegorz Polak, spokesperson Armed Forces Agency. During the consultation, AU will present its requirements and expectations, while companies will share their cognition of the method possibilities they have. Only after the end of this phase will the procedure be initiated, which will lead to the selection of the contractor. erstwhile will that be? We don't know that yet.
"Supply" has already been activated once. This happened in 2016. At that time, 3 stakeholders came forward for the first consultation. In the end, however, there was no tender. Now the Armed Forces Agency has returned to the program. The defence ministry intends to rebuild the heavy damaged naval capabilities as shortly as possible. Tri-city shipyards proceed construction of 3 “Meter” rocket frigates, 3 more ‘Kormoran II’ kind mine destroyers and 2 "Delfin" radio-electronic designation ships. MON besides launched the Rescue programme, which assumes the acquisition of a fresh rescue vessel, and promises to rapidly choice a submarine contractor under the Orka programme. The acquisition of tankers would be an essential complement to the modernisation process.
Currently the Polish navy has 2 tankers. The first – ORP "Baltic", due to its size and armament, is considered a full ship. The unit is part of the 3 Fleet Ships and is permanently stationed in Gdynia. It is nearly 85 m long, 13 m wide and buoyancy close to 3 1000 tons. It develops the velocity of the 15th century and its maximum scope is 2000mm. The ship is armed with 4 guns ZU-23-2M Sparrow, serving to defend itself. Its crew consists of 35 sailors.
ORP “Baltic” entered service in 1991. He has since participated in many national and global exercises. “We operate mainly in the Baltic, but we have been able to carry out tasks even outside of it. The ship was heading for the North Sea, and 1 day during training "Dynamic Mongoose" Even in the vicinity of the Norwegian Narvik – explains Captain Mar. Luke Dahm, unit commander. "Baltic" stores more than 1100 t of fuel in its tanks. another ships can supply both by standing on anchors and by remaining in motion. – We can do this in 2 ways – through both sides, or by releasing the snake behind the stern – explains Captain Mar. Dahm. On board, the tanker besides carries 100 t of fresh water, over 20 barrels with lubricants, and, if necessary, spare parts. The alleged dry seamen's materials are carried aboard another vessels erstwhile their ship goes with them onboard. This allows a line strategy to be hung above water. We have the ability to interact with ships of different classes. We have besides trained ourselves with allied units: Danish frigates or Corvettes from Sweden – says Captain Mar. Dahm.
ORP ‘Baltic“ (Z-8) at the time of the Ship Task Force 3 Fleet maneuvers, 2023.
In 2016, the ORP “Baltic” underwent a major renovation. The main engines, cannons, shipbuilders have besides modified the strategy to service fuel. However, this does not change the fact that the entity – although fulfilling its tasks – does not belong to the newest.
However, a far longer internship in the Navy has a Z-8 tanker of the 8th Coast Defence Fleet in the Świnoujście. “In a fewer days it will take precisely 55 years since he entered the service,” informs Mr. Sławomir Góra, commander of the 12th Volinian trawler squadron, to which the tanker is subject. Z-8 has the position of an auxiliary vessel. Its dimension somewhat exceeds 58 m and its width is 9.30 m. It carries over 600 tons of fuel on board, but besides lubricants in barrels. Its main task is to supply another units during off-port operations. But it can only be done by standing on an anchor. - The Z-8 is inactive in practice. He operates in the Gulf of Pomerania, but besides outside of it. We besides usage it to transport fuel between marine bases in Świnoujście and Gdynia – explains kmdr. Gora.
The logistics vessel can besides function ORP ‘Contradmiral Xavery Czernicki’ – mine defence command unit, introduced in 2001. ‘Czernicki’ carries on board, among another things, additional fuel which may be fed to another vessels by means of a developed snake. The crew repeatedly practiced the alleged RAS (Replenishment at Sea) – among others, during the global exercises and missions of Natovian ship teams, erstwhile “Czernicki” played the function of a flagship.
