Polish Ferry Operators oppose with the tender result at Gdynia Port

Port Gdynia. Source: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
 

Consortium of Unity Line Limited (PŻM Group) and Best Ferries Alliance 1 S.A., strongly protests against the decision made in the tender for selecting the ferry operator Stena Line at the Public Ferry Terminal in Gdynia Port for the years 2026-2032. In the official statement, representatives of consortium expressed their dissatisfaction with the tender committee’s decision, claiming that the outcome was unjustified and that their offer should have been rated higher than the proposal from Stena Line.

On September 5^th the Management Board of the Port of Gdynia (ZMPG) announced its decision to select Stena Line’s offer as the best option for Package I of the tender, while simultaneously rejecting the proposal from the consortium of Polish ferry operators. In its announcement, ZMPG emphasized that the offer submitted by Unity Line and Best Ferries Alliance 1 did not meet the requirements of the tender specifications, deeming it was "impossible to execute." As a result, Stena Line’s offer was considered the only one meeting the criteria and received the highest score.

The consortium of Polish ferry operators firmly rejected this decision, stating that their offer was fully feasible and should have received a higher rating than the competitor’s offer. "We consider the decision of the tender committee to be unjustified based on the content of the offer submitted for Package I by the Consortium, and also dismissive of the many years of experience of the Polish ferry operators who are behind the Consortium," reads the official statement. The consortium argues that their offer, in accordance with the tender specifications, could have generated higher revenue and profits for the port than the Stena Line proposal.

The companies managing the consortium emphasized that they offered the tender organizer opportunity to submit additional clarifications regarding the offer, but it was "ignored" by ZMPG. Additionally, the consortium requested the organizer to provide materials related to the decision of the tender. "Depending on their content, we will take further steps regarding the tender," stated the consortium’s representatives.

The statement also noted that the consortium does not rule out taking legal action to challenge the tender’s decision, seek compensation through civil litigation, or take other measures to ensure the adherence to Polish and EU law.

When announcing the results of the tender, the Management Board of the Port of Gdynia pointed out that Stena Line’s offer was the only one that met all the criteria and was deemed the most favorable. The further development of the situation might affect the future of the ferry business in Poland, including the organization of future tenders in this industry.

[PROMY24.COM]