Gdańsk’s tug Ares recreated in LEGO. Seaman’s model could enter official production

Eryk Żegliński, a 22-year-old seaman with WUŻ Port Gdańsk, has recreated the tugboat Ares – the vessel he has served on since the start of his career – as a 1:125 scale LEGO model. Built from 1,298 bricks, the project is now competing for 10,000 votes on the LEGO Ideas platform, the threshold required for LEGO to consider it for official release.

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14 august 2025   |   11:04   |   Source: Gazeta Morska   |   Prepared by: Michał Iwański   |   Print

fot. Port Gdańsk

From concept to completion

The build took roughly six months to complete, with four months dedicated to computer-aided design and two months to assembly and refinement. The final model measures 27 cm in length, 11 cm in width, and 25 cm in height, featuring fully functional elements such as 360° azimuth thrusters and adjustable water cannons.

Accuracy and technical detailing

Like the real Ares, the LEGO version features bow fenders, mooring bollards, hawse pipes, staircases, an engine cooling fan, liferafts, radar, mast, and floodlights. Deck and superstructure layouts were faithfully replicated. To complete the presentation, Żegliński designed and 3D-printed a custom container-style box for the model.

The real Ares

The Ares is the newest tug in the WUŻ fleet, manned by a four-person crew: master, engineer, and two deckhands. It assists large vessels in manoeuvring within Port of Gdańsk, engages in firefighting operations with its dual water cannon system, and deploys oil spill containment booms when required.

Potential global debut

If the project reaches 10,000 supporters on LEGO Ideas, it could become the first LEGO set to depict a Gdańsk-based tugboat – and one of the few tugboats ever featured in LEGO’s maritime range, which has so far been dominated by passenger and container vessels.

Voting is open online, and supporting the Ares project means not only backing a young mariner’s passion and craftsmanship, but also promoting port and maritime themes within the global LEGO community.

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