PGZ Naval Shipyard and JFD to integrate advanced submarine rescue and saturation diving system on Poland’s new resc
PGZ Naval Shipyard has signed a contract with James Fisher and Sons PLC (JFD) for the delivery and integration of an advanced saturation diving and submarine rescue system aboard Poland’s new rescue ship, Ratownik. The system will be fully compatible with the NATO Submarine Rescue System (NSRS), which JFD has operated since 2015 on behalf of the UK, French and Norwegian navies.
In brief
PGZ Stocznia Wojenna has signed a contract with James Fisher and Sons PLC for the delivery and integration of a saturation diving system and submarine rescue modules on the rescue ship Ratownik now under construction. Selecting JFD will ensure the equipment is compatible with the NATO Submarine Rescue System, which the company manages for the navies of the United Kingdom, France and Norway; JFD prepared a pre-design study on the system integration in 2019. The 96-metre Ratownik, with a displacement of 6,500 tonnes, is due to be handed over to the Polish Navy at the end of 2029. Marcin Ryngwelski, president of PGZ Stocznia Wojenna, stressed full interoperability with NATO standards.
The contract covers a classified hyperbaric chamber complex with a full life-support infrastructure, enabling extended deep-diving operations and the rescue of distressed submariners. JFD previously conducted a concept and feasibility study for the integration of the system in 2019, and will now bring its expertise from some of the world’s most technologically advanced saturation diving programs into the vessel’s construction phase.
Rob Hales, Head of Defence at JFD, emphasized the strategic importance of the cooperation:
- Combining the shipbuilding expertise of PGZ Naval Shipyard with our experience in submarine rescue and saturation diving will provide Poland with significant operational capabilities — both for future submarine programs and for the protection of critical underwater infrastructure.
Marcin Ryngwelski, President of PGZ Naval Shipyard, highlighted the vessel’s role for the Polish Navy:
- Ratownik will give the Polish Navy advanced submarine rescue and saturation diving capabilities essential for operations in the Baltic Sea. Collaboration with JFD ensures full NATO-standard interoperability.
Jan Grabowski, Vice President of the Polish Armaments Group, added:
- It is an honour to deliver a system whose primary purpose is saving lives, designed in accordance with the highest reliability standards.
Scheduled for delivery at the end of 2029, Ratownik will be one of the largest vessels in the Polish fleet. At 96 meters in length and with a displacement of 6,500 tonnes, it will provide enhanced capabilities for submarine crew rescue and underwater infrastructure protection across the Baltic Sea region.
Source: Gazeta Morska · Compiled by: Kamil Kusier
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