Jantar Unity sets off on its first voyage. Polish carriers conquer the Baltic

On 20 January 2026 at 8:30 p.m., a new Polish passenger ferry will depart from the port of Świnoujście on its maiden voyage to Trelleborg, Sweden. Jantar Unity. Polish strength on the Baltic Sea, Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on the X platform, reminding readers that the government supported the project with one billion zlotys under the Polish Sea programme.

Christened and ready to sail

Despite the winter weather, real crowds gathered on the Szczecin waterfront on Saturday afternoon. In front of five thousand spectators, Miłosława Błaszyk-Zjawińska, Director of the Management Division of Polish Steamship Company (PŻM), ceremonially christened the new ferry with the name Jantar Unity. Sail safely on the Baltic Sea, bring glory to the good name of the Polish seafarer and the Polish shipbuilder, said the ship’s godmother as she broke the traditional bottle of champagne against the hull.

Jantar Unity is 195.6 m long and 32.2 m wide, and can carry 400 passengers at a time while travelling at a maximum speed of 19 knots. As reported by the carrier Unity Line’s press office, the ferry’s cargo lane length is 4.1 km, equivalent to the length of the vehicles carried if lined up one behind another.

After the ceremonial christening, the vessel was opened to visitors from Szczecin on Sunday, and on Monday it was towed to the port of Świnoujście. From there, on 20 January 2026, the ferry will set off on a 6.5-hour voyage to Trelleborg. Passengers, cared for by a crew of 50, will have access to comfortable cabins as well as shared dining and family areas.

Jantar Unity. A new environmental standard

The ferry is powered by four liquefied natural gas LNG engines, additionally supported by a battery system. This hybrid solution means a significant reduction in fuel consumption and the associated pollutant emissions, including highly harmful nitrogen oxides. This is a new-generation environmental system that meets the highest emission standards, assures Paweł Pluto-Prądzyński, Director of Unity Line Poland, referring to the stringent IMO Tier III standards.

Compared with traditional diesel-powered vessels, Jantar Unity is also much quieter. The benefits are enjoyed not only by passengers wishing to rest in their cabins, but above all by marine mammals, for whom underwater noise is a serious threat.

Polish flag

The vessel was built by the Gdańsk Shiprepair Yard thanks to financial support from the government. We have repaid debts, secured financing, and are delivering a vessel ready to enter the ferry market. This is an important step in rebuilding the position of Polish shipowners on the Baltic Sea, said Arkadiusz Marchewka, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Infrastructure.

Donald Tusk informed the public last May about the ambitious Polish Sea strategy, which aims to strengthen the competitiveness of domestic ports, shipyards and carriers. The Prime Minister then announced the construction of three ferries that would sail under the Polish flag. Jantar Unity is the first of the promised vessels and a serious challenge thrown down to foreign carriers operating on the Baltic Sea.

The new ferry is also of particular importance for the port of Szczecin, being the largest vessel to have berthed at the Chrobry Embankments since the Second World War. Hanna Mojsiuk, President of the Northern Chamber of Commerce in Szczecin, summed up Saturday’s christening with the words: This ferry has awakened us from a certain lethargy, showing the spectacle and strength of Szczecin as a maritime city. In recognition of the economic impulse provided by the ferry’s construction, the operator Unity Line was honoured with the prestigious Griffin of West Pomerania statuette.

By the end of 2026, another modern Ro-Pax ferry will debut under the Polish flag, and experts unanimously praise the initiative under which domestic shipyards build vessels for Polish shipowners in cooperation with the Polish government.

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main photo: Grzegorz Strzelecki / Unity Line