Portal partners
ORP Lightning en route for renovation [FOTO]
Author:Mariusz Dasiewicz
This is a sight that even experienced Gdynianian – quay Pomorskie without docked ORP ship "Splinter". There's no need to worry, the legendary destroyer acting as a museum on the water will still return to his place. On Tuesday morning he headed for the PGZ of the War Shipyard, where he will undergo renovation in the coming weeks.
The empty place already permanently reserved for the famous Lightning will amaze the Gdynia walkers for the coming weeks. It is an unusual view and an important change in the landscape of one of the most popular tourist destinations in Gdynia. On Tuesday morning, moments after 9:00 a.m., a popular destroyer was towed from the Pomorskie wharf.
In this way, the ship went on a journey, but relatively near – to the Gdynia Naval Shipyard in Oxyvia, where it will undergo the planned renovation. All so that he could continue to serve as a water museum in the summer and present the interior of a real warship to tourists.
"Historic destroyer acting as museum will undergo renovation there, which will prepare the ship for this year's exhibition season. The towing procedure was secured by three tugboats and a motorboat from the Support Ship Squadron. The estimated time of renovation of the Lightning is three months and we hope that the ship will return to its place before the season begins," says Captain Mar. Anna Sech from the press section of the 3rd Naval Fleet Ship in Gdynia.
The Polish destroyer on earned military retirement will undergo the so-called dock repair. The contractor for the repair of the Lightning, the PGZ War Shipyard, was previously selected in a tender announced by the War Port Command in Gdynia. All works will cost over PLN 7.1 million.
"About 10 years ago, we were at a major renovation, or dock repair, and at the same time the technical committee said that repairs would be useful, even if the hull of the ship was watered in 1935. We are on the water all the time and therefore the repairs should be cyclical" - says deputy commander of the ORP ship "Błyskawica", Mr Marek Mielnik.
About Lightning
ORP "The Lightning" is a Polish "Grom" destroyer that was built in 1936 at the British shipyard J. Samuel White in Cowes. In 1937, he began his service in the Navy, participating in later years in activities during World War II, including the Norwegian campaign, Operation Overlord, or the Battle of the Atlantic.
He later served as a flagship of the Polish Navy and a stationary anti-aircraft defense vessel. In Gdynia, Lightning has been a museum ship since 1976. He is now the oldest preserved destroyer in the world.
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Photo: Dominik Bolewski
Source: Gdynia.pl
