Polsteam

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Polska Żegluga Morska
Polsteam
Typestate-owned enterprise
IndustryShipping
Founded2 January 1951; 70 years ago (1951-01-02)
Headquarters
Szczecin
,
Poland
Area served
Global
Key people
Paweł Brzezicki (CEO)
SubsidiariesUnity Line
Websitepolsteam.com.pl

Polska Żegluga Morska known as Polsteam or PŻM, is a cargo ship operator based in Szczecin, Poland. Polsteam is a state-owned enterprise with around 3,000 employees.

Company history[]

Polsteam was founded in 1951, nationalizing the assets of two Polish pre-WWII marine freight companies (Gdynia America Line and  [pl]), making it the oldest Polish cargo ship operator in existence.[1]

SS Sołdek

Initially, Polsteam's fleet comprised 11 ships of joint carrying capacity of approx 27,000 DWT.[2] Among those ships there were: four of the so-called. French ships, which were steamers built in 1926 in French shipyard of Chantiers Navals Français, in Blainville: , , SS Toruń, , the oldest of the acquired ships was (2,520 DWT) built in 1915 in Great Britain, (310 DWT) a small coaster built in 1944 in Germany and (1,699 DWT) built in 1944. Four ships of B-30 series, constructed in 1949 in Gdańsk Shipyard: SS Sołdek (first ship in the post-WWII history of the Polish shipbuilding industry), , and (built in 1950).[2]

In early years of Polsteam's existence, the ship owner's vessels navigated on short and midrange sea routes (i.e. the Baltic Sea, North Sea and Mediterranean Sea). During the course of the first five years, they carried coal, wood, and iron ore. 80-90% of shipping involved tramping services and although the ship operator had three lines since 1951 namely: Szczecin - Stockholm, Szczecin - London - Rouen and Szczecin - Hamburg - Rotterdam - Antwerp.[2]

Fleet[]

It operates a fleet of 75 vessels (total: 2,500,000 DWT), mostly dry bulk carriers. Polsteam's particular specialty is the transportation of liquid sulfur.[3]

Polsteam also operates a passenger ferry service between Świnoujście and the Swedish ports of Ystad and Trelleborg via its subsidiary Unity Line.

The PZM line operates a bi-weekly service from the IJmuiden docks in Amsterdam to the North American port of Duluth, Minnesota.[4] Five 35,600-tonners were built in Japan by Mitsui over the years 1999-2000, and eight 30,000-tonners were built in China by over the years 2010-12. The older "Ziemia" class vessels were withdrawn from the Great Lakes trade before 2013.[4] The dimensions are limited by the locks of the Saint Lawrence Seaway and the 40 ft draught of the Great Lakes Waterway. The Great Lakes Fleet comprise:[4]

Polsteam's Great Lakes Fleet[4]
image name year
built		 deadweight
tonnage		 length breadth
Polish freighter Irma transits the Welland Canal, 2016 10 06 -dd (30160750906).jpg 2000 35.600 200 metres (660 ft) 24 metres (79 ft)
Iryda Polsteam Welland Canal 1.JPG 1999 35.600 200 metres (660 ft) 24 metres (79 ft)
Isa Polsteam Welland Canal 1.jpg 1999 35.600 200 metres (660 ft) 24 metres (79 ft)
1999 35.600 200 metres (660 ft) 24 metres (79 ft)
Isolda Polsteam Welland Canal 1.jpg 1999 35.600 200 metres (660 ft) 24 metres (79 ft)
Drawsko Polsteam Welland Canal 2014.jpg 2010 30.000 190 metres (620 ft) 23 metres (75 ft)
Bulk carrier 'Juno' and Toronto's International Maritime Passenger Terminal, 2015 04 26 (3) (17098013499).jpg 2010 30.000 190 metres (620 ft) 23 metres (75 ft)
Navire LUBIE à quai à casablanca.jpg 2011 30.000 190 metres (620 ft) 23 metres (75 ft)
Navire MAMRY en quai au port de Casablanca.jpg 2012 30.000 190 metres (620 ft) 23 metres (75 ft)
2010 30.000 190 metres (620 ft) 23 metres (75 ft)
M-s RESKO on Seine River (26423122970).jpg 2010 30.000 190 metres (620 ft) 23 metres (75 ft)
2011 30.000 190 metres (620 ft) 23 metres (75 ft)
Polsteam Wicko.jpg 2010 30.000 190 metres (620 ft) 23 metres (75 ft)

Polsteam Ships[]

  • MS Armia Krajowa

  • MS Rega

  • MS Maciej Rataj

  • MS Isa

  • MS Wicko on Lake Superior in Duluth, MN

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Firma z długą historią. „Bryza. Biuletyn informacyjny PŻM”, p. 1, 2010.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c 60 years of Polsteam - difficult beginnings. „Obserwator morski”, p. 17, 2010. ISSN 1899-5373
  3. ^ http://www.polsteam.com.pl/flota Polsteam Fleet
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c d cruisepeople.co.uk: "PZM Polish Steamship Company"

External links[]

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