SS Sołdek is a retired Polish coal and ore cargosteamship. She was the first ship built in Gdańsk (Poland) after World War II, and the first seagoing ship completed in Poland. She was the first of 29 ships classed as Project B30, built between 1949 and 1954 in the Gdańsk Shipyard. The name was given in honour of Stanisław Sołdek, one of the shipyard's shock workers.[2]
Sołdek is often confused with Oliwa, a former unfinished Hansa type A cargo ship, which was commissioned after Sołdek,[3] however which's hull was already built in 1944. It was abandoned by the Germans on a slipway in Szczecin, and seized by Poland. Following this the hull was completed and the ship launched as Oliwa. Later she was renamed and entered service in 1951 as Marchlewski, serving the Polish Ocean Lines.[4] Many sources incorrectly state that Oliwa was Sołdek's makeshift name during her launch, and that she was later relaunched again as Sołdek.
A number of B-30 ships saw service for the Soviet Navy, as auxiliary vessels (e. g. transports), including the "Tovda" and the "Vitegra". Corresponding data (including side plan) can be found i. a. in Weyer's Flottentaschenbuch 1971/72.
