The long-standing impasse surrounding the Khatanga has come to an end. Thanks to the determination of the Port of Gdynia Authority S.A., close cooperation with the Maritime Office in Gdynia and the support of the Ministry of Infrastructure and the General Inspectorate for Environmental Protection, it was possible to carry out the operation to remove the vessel from the port. After eight years in the Port of Gdynia, the ship, which already had the formal status of hazardous waste, finally left the port basin. Khatanga, which had been a source of controversy and media speculation for years, set sail on the evening of 19 June for a certified scrapyard in Denmark, where it will be disposed of in accordance with EU standards.
“The removal of Khatanga from the Port of Gdynia is proof that the state is effective where decisions have been lacking for years. Thanks to the cooperation of many institutions, it has been possible to resolve a problem that threatened the safety of shipping and the environment. This was a task that was not only technically complex, but also legally and organisationally challenging, which is why I would like to thank everyone involved for their determination and consistency in their actions,” said Infrastructure Minister Dariusz Klimczak.
Khatanga entered the port of Gdynia on 2 October 2017 for repair and renovation work. The work was planned to be carried out at the NAUTA S.A. Shipyard. A few days later, following an inspection by the State Port Inspectorate, the Maritime Office in Gdynia issued a decision to detain the vessel in the port. Soon after, the repairs were suspended due to the bankruptcy of the shipowner, the Russian company Murmansk Shipping Company. After that, the vessel remained in the port for years as property with an unclear legal status, with no clarity as to who was responsible for its technical condition.
The Port of Gdynia Authority, in cooperation with the relevant institutions, took steps to resolve the situation of the vessel, whose ownership and technical status were complicated.
As a result of close cooperation, in December 2024, the Maritime Office in Gdynia issued an order to remove the ship from the port, recognising it as waste posing a risk to shipping and the environment. From that moment on, intensive preparations were made to remove the ship. A number of technical measures were carried out – fuel, oils and other consumables were removed, and necessary repairs were made, including welding of the hull.
The procedure for removing the vessel and transporting it to a shipyard in Denmark is strictly regulated by European law and required international cooperation. In order to commence the procedure, a valid decision authorising cross-border transport of waste had to be issued by the Chief Inspector of Environmental Protection in consultation with its Danish counterpart, Miljøstyrelsen (Danish Environmental Protection Agency). The decision had to be preceded by a detailed and lengthy investigation on the Danish side regarding the safety of waste disposal.
“We have removed Russian scrap metal from Poland. As we announced, Khatanga has been towed away from the Port of Gdynia for scrapping. For us, the safety of shipping and, consequently, the safety of such strategic infrastructure as ports is a priority. Our government is taking decisive and effective measures to ensure the country’s security. Since Khatanga moored in the port in 2017, the previous government has been unable to ensure this security,” emphasised Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Arkadiusz Marchewka.
“From the Port’s point of view, this is primarily a restoration of the full functionality of a strategic part of the waterfront,” said Piotr Gorzeński, President of the Port of Gdynia Authority S.A. “For years, the presence of this vessel was a symbol of stagnation and powerlessness in the face of its unclear legal status. At the same time, the ship, which was in increasingly poor technical condition, posed a real threat to the internal safety of port traffic. Thanks to consistent efforts and good cooperation with the Maritime Office, the Ministry of Infrastructure and a number of companies from the maritime industry, it was possible to bring this matter to a successful conclusion. This proves that a joint and consistent approach brings real results – both for the safety of shipping and the efficient functioning of port infrastructure.”
“We are very pleased that the story of a ship with an unclear and changing ownership status in the Port of Gdynia is coming to an end. In 2017, the vessel entered the shipyard for repairs, and was later detained by the port state inspection, and then by a court bailiff, which practically ruled out any administrative action for a long time. However, over time, the conditions that made it possible to take action to remove it came to fruition. The ship became unfit for independent navigation, without a crew or power supply, and consequently began to pose a real threat to the port infrastructure. Thanks to the cooperation of the maritime administration and the efficient conduct of the entire procedure by the Port of Gdynia Authority, today we can free the port
and its surroundings from an object that has ultimately been classified as waste and, as such, is setting off on its final journey,” summed up Anna Stelmaszyk-Świerczyńska, Director of the Maritime Office in Gdynia.
The removal of Khatanga from the Port of Gdynia fits in with the context of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which ends in June and whose motto is ‘Security, Europe!’. It would be difficult to find a better symbol to emphasise that this strategic dual-use port is effectively implementing this idea.
ul. Rotterdamska 9, 81-337 Gdynia
Regon: 191920577 NIP: 9581323524 KRS: 0000082699