BOA has carried out the Wicher frigate launch in Gdynia, Poland, using the semi-submersible barge BOABARGE 33. Wicher is the first of three frigates under Poland’s Miecznik programme being constructed at the PGZ Stocznia Wojenna shipyard.
The vessel has a displacement of about 6,000 tonnes and measures approximately 140 m in length and 20 m in beam. The other two frigates covered by BOA’s launching contract are due to follow during the next two years.
For the first operation, the 140 x 57.05 x 8.54 m BOABARGE 33 was mobilised to Gdynia by the tug Multratug 3.
SPMTs supplied by Sarens were used to transfer Wicher from the construction hall onto BOABARGE 33. Once the transfer was completed, the barge was relocated to the assigned float-off area.
BOABARGE 33 was then submerged under controlled conditions until Wicher became afloat for the first time.
BOA supplied the semi-submersible barge, main tug and SPMTs for the operation. Its work also included the engineering and planning required for the load-out, barge movement and launch, together with management of the marine operation.
The Wicher frigate launch was the first of the three Miecznik launching operations awarded to BOA. The company is scheduled to support the launch of the remaining two frigates in cooperation with PGZ Stocznia Wojenna over the next two years.
