"Scandinavia" at the Port of Gdansk

09.09.2003

On Saturday, August 23 this year, at the Ferry Terminal run by Polish Baltic Shipping Co. at the Port of Gdansk, a pleasant ceremony was held to celebrate the official launch of the ferry "Scandinavia" to operation. Among the guests invited to attend the event there were, among others, the Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Infrastructure Witold Gorski and Head of the Maritime Office in Gdynia Igor Jagniszczak, as well as Marianne Nilsson (ferry's godmother) accompanied by her husband (former Head of Destination Gotland, a previous owner of the ferry) and her son who is presently heading Destination Gotland. The celebration was also attended by the host of the land - President of the Port of Gdansk Authority SA, Andrzej Kasprzak.

Jan Warchol President of Polferries Co. emphasized that to the Kolobrzeg-based shipowner that has been operating in the ferry shipping since 1976, this year abounded with events: March this year saw the opening of the Swinoujscie - Ystad service and at the moment the Gdansk - Nynäshamn sevice is about to be introduced the ferry "Scandinavia".

- This ferry was built in 1980 in the Swedish shipyard in Landskrona - says Witold Kozal, Head of the Ferry Terminal owned by Polish Baltic Shipping at the Port of Gdansk. It is capable of carrying onboard (included the crew) as much as 1888 people and, notably - a number of cabins have been designed for the disabled and is accessible by lifts. The vessel has 11 floors and, apart from the cabins, bars, restaurants, cafes, children's play area, duty-free shops - on one of the floors there is also a cinema and theatre hall (holding over 200 spectators) that can alternatively be used as a conference hall.

At 6 p.m. the ferry "Scandinavia" put to sea for its voyage to Nynäshamn (60 km off Stockholm) taking onboard, among other passengers, 64 children under the protection of the "Without Barriers" foundation run by Jolanta Kwasniewska that assumed the honorary patronage over mf. "Scandinavia". The children will enjoy a few days of rest in Visby, on the island of Gotland.