IMGW-PIB commissions new research and service catamaran Cumulus for Baltic operations

Poland’s Institute of Meteorology and Water Management – National Research Institute (IMGW-PIB) has officially commissioned the new research and service catamaran Cumulus. The vessel will support offshore monitoring operations in the Baltic Sea, including maintenance of meteorological and oceanographic buoy systems critical for environmental and hydrometeorological data collection.

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29 may 2026   |   16:26   |   Source: Gazeta Morska   |   Prepared by: Kamil Kusier   |   Print

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New capability for Baltic monitoring

The christening ceremony and official handover of the vessel took place on 22 May at the President’s Quay in Gdynia. The ship’s godmother was Prof. Tamara Zalewska, Head of the Department of Oceanography and Baltic Monitoring at IMGW-PIB.

According to institute representatives, the new vessel significantly enhances Poland’s capability to conduct marine environmental research and maintain offshore measurement infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.

Prof. Zalewska stressed that the catamaran will expand IMGW-PIB’s operational capacity in the context of climate change and increasingly frequent extreme weather events affecting the marine environment.

Purpose-built vessel for buoy operations

Cumulus is an aluminium catamaran measuring nearly 18 metres in length and weighing close to 60 tonnes. The vessel was specifically designed and built at a shipyard in Gdańsk for IMGW-PIB’s operational requirements.

Its twin-hull configuration provides enhanced stability during offshore operations, particularly in challenging weather and sea conditions, improving both safety and operational efficiency during maintenance work.

Captain Bartosz Zakrzewski noted that the vessel was developed exclusively for servicing meteorological and oceanographic buoys a highly specialised role rarely addressed by dedicated vessels.

Advanced onboard systems

The catamaran is equipped with modern research and technical systems supporting offshore service operations. These include a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) capable of operating at depths of up to 150 metres, an underwater navigation system and a deck crane.

One of the vessel’s most innovative features is a prototype stern-mounted buoy handling system. Instead of lifting buoys fully onboard, the system integrates them alongside the hull structure and partially lifts them, enabling technicians to safely access and service the equipment directly at sea.

Operational range across Polish Baltic waters

Thanks to widely spaced propulsion units, Cumulus offers high manoeuvrability, a key advantage during precision operations around offshore measurement infrastructure.

The vessel has an operational range exceeding 400 nautical miles and can remain at sea autonomously for up to four days. This allows the catamaran to conduct missions across virtually the entire Polish exclusive economic zone in the Baltic Sea without requiring port calls.

The vessel’s home port will be Gdynia and it will operate with a four-person crew.

Supporting climate and maritime safety missions

The construction cost of the vessel amounted to approximately PLN 12 million.

According to IMGW-PIB, commissioning Cumulus marks another step in the development of Poland’s marine environmental monitoring systems. The vessel is expected to support hydrological, meteorological and oceanographic research while contributing to navigational safety, environmental protection and climate impact assessment in the Baltic region.

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IMGW-PIB katamaran badawczy Cumulus monitoring Bałtyku boje meteorologiczne Bałtyk nowa jednostka badawcza Gdynia

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