With a major order in the offshore business, the German shipyard Neptun Werft in Rostock could reach its limits.
The company is therefore looking for a second site in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern – and has set its sights on the Volkswerft site in Stralsund.
As reported by the regional Ostsee-Zeitung newspaper, Neptun Werft – a subsidiary of Papenburg-based Meyer Werft – has entered the race for the Volkswerft. It is now competing with the wind power company EEW, which wants to use the hall for the production of monopiles. According to reports, shipyard managing director Stephan Schmees has confirmed talks with the city.
Neptun needs additional space
The Neptun Werft, which specializes in river cruise ships, is expecting an order to build a converter platform for Belgian wind farms together with the company Smulders. The decision is expected in March and would mean a billion-euro deal for the shipyard. Up to 600 new jobs are to be created in Rostock, but the site would not be sufficient.
Additional capacity would be needed to build the platforms – the 30,000 tons of steel could not be handled in Rostock. However, a second shipyard is not to be built in Stralsund. The primary aim is to outsource the steel construction.
In addition to the city itself, Neptun Werft is also currently in talks with Ostseestaal, one of the largest companies on the Volkswerft site. Both companies have already worked together successfully on several occasions in the past and are prepared to expand their cooperation even further.
In the event of a takeover of the Volkswerft by EEW, it is hoped that enough space will remain to complete the order. The manufacturer of large rotors is currently in talks about setting up a second production facility in Stralsund – the investment is reportedly in the “three-digit million range” and 500 jobs are to be created.
However, there is also resistance to this: shipbuilding companies such as Strela Shiprepair, Fassmer and Abeking & Rasmussen reject the establishment of EEW.
