The port in Łeba opens up to offshore wind energy. Strategic investment co-financed by the NRRP

Yesterday, at the Museum of Underwater Archaeology and Baltic Sea Fisheries in Łeba, an agreement was signed for the implementation of an investment called Reconstruction of the entrance to the port in Łeba. The project, worth PLN 132 million, aims to increase the accessibility and safety of the quay for vessels that will service offshore wind farms.

Offshore wind energy in the Baltic Sea gains valuable support facilities

The new investment is part of a larger project (Construction of the offshore service terminal in Łeba) implemented by the City of Gdynia within the framework of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). Deputy Minister of Funds and Regional Policy Jacek Karnowski, who attended yesterday’s event, expressed hope that thanks to the planned modernization, Łeba will become an important service port for offshore wind farms.

In a broader context, the role of the modernized port in Łeba is highlighted in terms of its contribution to the country’s energy transition and the reduction of the negative environmental impact of the economy.

According to the mayor of Łeba, Agnieszka Derby, the planned project could become a development impulse for the entire town. In particular, she hopes for the creation of new jobs and the revival of local fisheries.

The port in Łeba to gain a new breakwater and approach channel

The planned reconstruction of the port entrance includes the construction of a new 260-meter eastern breakwater and the extension of the breakwater and spur on the western side. The investment will also include the construction of three settling tanks and an approach channel with modern navigational markings and a turning basin.

The result of the reconstruction will be the reduction of wave motion inside the port and a decrease in the risk of collisions involving vessels responsible for the construction and operation of offshore wind farms. According to Anna Stelmaszyk-Świerczyńska, director of the Maritime Office, the current port entrance is too shallow and dangerous, and it often becomes silted up during storms. The new hydrotechnical solutions are expected to make the facility better suited to offshore wind service operations.

The modernized port in Łeba will be more user-friendly for all users, including the Maritime Search and Rescue Service, Stelmaszyk-Świerczyńska emphasized. During the construction works, all hazardous ferromagnetic materials, including remnants from military operations, will also be removed.

15 months for construction

The task will be carried out by the construction company DORACO, which will develop the design documentation and execute the construction works. Radosław Jarosiewicz, vice-president of the company, noted that subcontracting will be commissioned to Polish firms. The investment will be conducted in accordance with the highest environmental standards and under strict archaeological supervision.

The reconstruction of the port entrance in Łeba is to be completed by August 2026. Earlier, by the first quarter of next year, the currently ongoing renovation of the Malta Quay and the internal pier—also part of the Construction of the offshore service terminal in Łeba project—is expected to be completed. The total value of the undertaking is estimated at over PLN 232 million, of which PLN 190 million will come from the NRRP and PLN 42 million from the state budget.

main photo credit: t.przechlewski/Wikimedia