The insolvency administrator announced last week that Rheinmetall had been awarded the contract for the insolvent Romanian Mangalia shipyard. The German defence contractor has now also commented on the matter.
The group has announced its intention to acquire the Romanian shipyard in Mangalia, as previously reported in May this year, in partnership with the Swiss shipping company MSC. Both partners intend to develop the shipyard into a dual-use facility for both civil and military shipbuilding. To this end, the site will in future be divided into different sectors and security zones so that civil and military shipbuilding projects for the national and international markets can be carried out in parallel, it is stated.
The acquisition, which is due to be finalised in a few weeks’ time, involves a purchase price of around €138 million to be paid jointly by both partners.
Mangalia to play a role in the construction of Romanian naval vessels
For Rheinmetall’s Naval Systems division, the Mangalia shipyard is set to play a key role in the construction of the four naval vessels commissioned by the Romanian government. These include two 96-metre-long offshore patrol vessels and two 43-metre-long submarine support vessels. At the same time, the site is set to serve as a hub for further military shipbuilding projects. In doing so, Rheinmetall aims to create a scalable foundation for future projects in South-Eastern Europe and strengthen its position in a strategically important market.
“With this acquisition, we are planning a comprehensive expansion and modernisation of the shipyard. Our aim is to further develop the existing infrastructure, improve production conditions and adapt capacities to future requirements. In the long term, this will enable the site to play a key role in the implementation of our strategic activities in South-Eastern Europe and strengthen our industrial presence there,” said Tim Wagner, CEO of the Naval Systems Division.
The Düsseldorf-based technology group has already been active in Romania since 2024 through Rheinmetall Automecanica, which is based in Mediaș.
