In Gdańsk’s historic shipyard district, a €140m investment is transforming Ostrów Island into Poland’s first major offshore wind tower production facility. Beyond delivering clean energy infrastructure, the project is giving new life to the local community – reviving a skilled workforce of welders, creating jobs and energising local businesses. It shows how major progress can go hand in hand with preserving heritage and supporting communities.

National industrial strategy made real

Baltic Towers is a significant pillar of Poland’s renewable energy strategy, making the country an influential player in Europe’s energy transition. Working with the funding partners, we evaluated and de-risked the €140m project in Gdańsk, adapting approaches from similar European sites and setting realistic timelines
and terms.

Annual report
Annual Report FY 2024/25
A high angle view of a building.

Collaborating in a complex network of advisers

As an independent adviser to the lenders, we were responsible for reviewing risks and benchmarking progress against other similar projects across Europe. Our team of over 20 experts across a wide range of engineering disciplines made quarterly site visits to identify and solve issues as they arose. With deep expertise in industrial planning and design across the world, we were able to support the lender as they coordinated a complex network of partners to bring the project to reality.

 

The construction of the Baltic Towers factory in Gdańsk is a breakthrough step for Poland’s offshore wind energy sector

Baltic Towers

Map of the site
Waterfront access allows tower sections to be shipped by sea, minimises the environmental and social impact on neighbouring areas

Environmental and social advisory

Reducing the carbon footprint of renewable energy sites is essential. By sourcing 60% of its materials locally, the factory strengthens the national supply chain and cuts the need for imported offshore wind turbine towers as Poland moves towards low-carbon energy.

We reviewed several environmental mitigation measures to ensure none of the areas of permitting were omitted. We assessed the existing grievance mechanism for internal and external stakeholders and reviewed the potential impact evaluations. Finally, Arup during construction verified the proper implementation of the project taking into consideration national regulations and global best practices.

Reviving the Gdańsk shipyard and local economy

Ostrów Island is the original quayside of the old ‘Solidarity’ shipyard that became famous during Poland’s independence movement in the 20th century. The underutilised heavy-lifting industrial site was considered the perfect home for a modern campus, where 200 local welders were to retrain. With new skills, the community thrived once again and public tours inspired by its ‘Solidarity’ heritage brought a renewed sense of pride to its people. The Baltic Tower facility, which is visible from the Solidarity Museum, is a new landmark for the historical Ostrów Island.

Solidarity flag flying

Ostrów Island was once part of the historic ‘Solidarity’ shipyard central to Poland’s independence movement

A person working in a factory

Inside the wind tower factory

Wind towers under construction

Steel plates are welded to form the tower’s cylindrical sections

A brighter future

This work has helped grow Poland’s renewables capability. But it has also grown our own expertise in offshore wind logistics. The lessons we learned in blending different safeguards and infrastructure techniques have shaped Arup’s global approach to green energy, giving us a deeper understanding of how to bring these critical new technologies to life.

500

jobs

Investment will contribute to the creation of 500 new specialised job positions

60

%

Materials sourced locally, strengthening the local supply chain