On 12 August, at the Remontowa Shipbuilding shipyard, acceptance documents were signed for the second of a series of modern mine destroyers – the ORP ‘Albatros’ vessel being built for the Polish Navy.
The ship was built by a consortium consisting of: the leader – Stocznia REMONTOWA Shipbuilding S.A. belonging to the REMONTOWA HOLDING S.A. capital group and members – Ośrodek Badawczo – Rozwojowy Centrum Techniki Morskiej S.A. (OBR CTM S.A.) and PGZ Stocznia Wojenna (formerly Stocznia Marynarki Wojennej).
The handover of the ship was preceded by several months of delivery and acceptance trials, during which the offshore platform and mine threat equipment and systems were checked. Successful completion of the acceptance trials confirmed the ship’s ability to perform its main tasks, which include:
- detecting, identifying and combating sea mines and other objects and explosives in sea areas,
- securing sea communication routes,
- conducting operations in mine threat areas,
- environmental assessment in underwater areas.
The ORP ALBATROS ship is already the second of the KORMOARAN II type mine destroyer series. Five years ago, a prototype vessel ORP KORMORAN was handed over to the Polish Navy.
ORP Kormoran was handed over to the navy five years ago. On the basis of experience gained during its operation, certain modifications were introduced in the construction of subsequent vessels. Thanks to them, ORP ALBATROS, as well as subsequent vessels, is equipped with new devices for verifying sea areas. The ship’s artillery system was also changed to a more modern one.
ORP ALBATROS will become part of the 13th minesweeper squadron, which reports to the 8th Coastal Defence Flotilla in Świnoujście.
