Sixth Kormoran II-class mine countermeasure vessel launched in Gdańsk

On 11 December 2026, Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. — part of the Remontowa Holding S.A. group — launched and christened Czajka, the sixth mine countermeasure vessel (MCMV) of the Polish Navy’s Kormoran II-class (Project 258). The ceremony was attended by Poland’s deputy prime minister and minister of national defence, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, who underscored the strategic importance of the programme for national and regional security in the Baltic Sea.

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11 december 2025 | 17:38 | Source: Gazeta Morska | Prepared by: Kamil Kusier | Print

fot. Kamil Kusier / Gazeta Morska

Strengthening Baltic security

Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz highlighted that 2025 marked “a breakthrough year for the Polish Navy,” covering both accelerated modernisation and the broader strategic transformation of NATO’s Baltic posture. Following Finland’s and Sweden’s accession to the Alliance, the Baltic Sea has become, in his words, “an area of both expanding security and increasing hybrid pressure.”

He referenced recent hostile activities at sea — subsea cable interference, GPS disruptions and drone incursions — which prompted NATO’s establishment of Operation Baltic Sentry, a coordinated maritime vigilance mission aimed at protecting critical infrastructure, sea lines of communication and exclusive economic zones.

- The Baltic has not been this important since Poland’s symbolic wedding to the sea over a century ago, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz stated.

A modern continuation of Poland’s historic bird-class mine warfare vessels

Czajka continues the lineage of Polish mine warfare vessels traditionally named after birds — a reference to the historic “bird-class” minesweepers (Jaskółka, Czajka, Rybitwa, Mewa, Czapla, Żuraw) built in the 1930s. The current Kormoran II class revives this naming convention, combining historical continuity with state-of-the-art mine countermeasure technology.

Designed and built by a consortium led by Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A., together with CTM S.A. and PGZ Stocznia Wojenna, the vessels feature:

non-magnetic steel hulls,
advanced sonar and hydrographic systems,
autonomous and remotely operated mine neutralisation platforms,
capabilities for diver operations and critical infrastructure protection.

Operational role and fleet expansion

Czajka (hull number 606) will enter service in 2027 with the 12th Minesweeper Squadron of the 8th Coastal Defence Flotilla in Świnoujście. Together with ORP Kormoran, ORP Albatros, ORP Mewa, ORP Jaskółka and ORP Rybitwa, it will form a cohesive six-ship MCM force constituting the core of Poland’s Baltic mine countermeasure capability.

The vessels are designed for:

mine detection, classification, identification and neutralisation,
escorting units through mined or threatened waters,
seabed surveillance and route reconnaissance,
support for NATO maritime groups beyond the Baltic.

Part of a wider naval modernisation push

The launch is part of a broader revitalisation effort, which in 2025–2026 also included:

launching ORP Rybitwa, the fifth Kormoran II-class vessel,
steel cutting and upcoming keel laying for another Miecznik-class frigate,
the launch of ORP Różycki, the first DELFIN ELINT vessel,
contracts for coastal radar stations and training torpedoes,
progress on the Orka submarine programme conducted jointly with Sweden.

- The Navy deserves this investment — in capability, in technology and above all in people, the minister stressed.

Christening and tradition

The ship’s godmother, Katarzyna Sikora — wife of the commander of the 8th Coastal Defence Flotilla — officially christened Czajka. Once commissioned in 2027, the vessel will complete the six-unit Kormoran II package, providing Poland with one of the most modern and interoperable mine countermeasure forces in NATO.