Handing the ship over to the border guards is hanging in the balance? An international scandal is brewing

The unit has already undergone numerous technical tests, and inventory reviews are currently underway. If the results are successful, the ship will be officially handed over to the custodian on Friday, September 15 – money.pl unofficially learned.

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Ship delivery procedures at the port are witnessing great tension. It may not be delivered on the agreed upon date. The French want to include it in the protocol Information about the payment of a large sum of money, which they estimated at about 20 million Polish zlotys (5 million euros represents 20% of the contract value – editor’s note) – says our source of information.

Our interlocutor adds that the Ministry of Special Operations may not only not accept this entry in the ship’s delivery documents, but also may not accept the ship, for example, due to technical reservations related to its construction. Then for every day of delay The French will pay the Polish side a fine of 0.05%. Ship value (Contract value is approximately PLN 111 million).

As money.pl discovered, it is about building a unit for MOSG Many Polish companies are also participating. These are subcontractors who did some work on the ship and now have claims against the French shipyard owner to pay several thousand euros. They sent pre-trial letters to the French demanding payment.

They have agreed to talk to us, but want to remain anonymous.

Owners of Sokarinam Shipyard They owe my company more than one hundred thousand euros. We went over budget by that much. When building the ship, which was during the Covid-19 pandemic, I did not expect that the prices of materials – especially aluminum – would rise significantly, or that towing services would be tens of thousands of euros more expensive – the businessman gives examples.

The second of the affected companies Bankrupt today. Its co-owner estimates his claims against the French at approximately PLN 70,000. euro – Only for this specific unit. They were also employed in other projects for Sukarinam, but all contracts with them were terminated by the French. This businessman also intends to pursue his claims from the French.

Representatives of the French side confirmed to us that they had received several introductory letters from Polish subcontractors demanding payment. They also add that the shipyard is striving to reach an agreement with the Polish side and reach a consensus on payments.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office represents the Ministry of Social Affairs at the District Court in Gdańsk, where Sokarinam applied for a payment order at the beginning of August, and the court gave time until the end of September to respond to the case.

If the Public Prosecutor’s Office rejects the French request, the trial will begin. Neither the Attorney General’s Office nor the US Department of Defense can comment on the case until its final conclusion. The French avoid this too.

As pointed out by Rafael Zahorsky, maritime expert and representative of the Marshal of the Western Pomeranian Prefecture for maritime economy and inland navigation, such Patrol vessels such as the Ranger’s OPV should be built in shipyards in Poland. Why did the French build the ship for us?

In the first tender to build a ship for MOSG in 2019, PGZ Stocznia Wojenna was the only one to apply. Its offer amounted to PLN 147 million. The procedures have been cancelled. In the second tender – which was resolved in February 2020, just before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic – War Shipyard offered a lower amount, 138 million PLN, but its competitor was the French company Socarenam, which offered to build a ship for 111 PLN. million . . And he won.

The military shipyard appealed this decision to the National Appeals Chamber, which resulted in the French signing a contract with MOSG with a delay of several months. There was a risk regarding the timely delivery of the vessel. We asked the War Shipyard press office why they were appealing the MOSG decision and whether it was retaliation against the competition?

In response, we received a press release stating that PGZ SW is a shipyard that has built more than 300 ships in its more than 100-year history. The answers show that they employ qualified employees.”Prepares bid offers based on realistic assumptions Regarding unit production costs and expected margin.

War Shipyard also adds that the current situation with OPV confirms this. – If we add to the price of the winning bid (PLN 111 million) the amount of additional remuneration demanded by its implementing agency (EUR 5 million), then We will receive an amount that practically corresponds to the amount provided by PGZ SW in 2019 – Emphasizes the shipyard.

On Thursday morning, we also asked MOSG several questions, including whether the ship will be accepted on Friday and whether they have asked the European Commission to increase funding for this project? As much as 90 percent of the construction costs of this unit are covered by European Union funds.

We are still waiting for answers to our questions.

Katarzyna Baartman, journalist at money.pl