Gov't takes steps to block ship operators ordering ships made abroad

Polska Zegluga Morska is going to choose a contractor to build the first four to six ships, out of a total of a total of 20 bulk cargo-ships. Unfortunately shipyards in the Far-East are putting up a fierce fight for the contracts and are offering prices even up to 25% lower than those proposed by the New Szczecin and Gdynia Shipyards. According to Prawo i Gospodarka, if national yards won the bids, this would create 25,000-30,000 jobs for two and half years. Losing the contract would hurt the already weak shipbuilding sector, which is facing growing labor unrest. Today a special government commission will meet to discuss ways to of stopping national ship operators from signing contracts with foreign shipyards. (Prawo i Gospodarka, p. 4) J.K.