The FSG and Nobiskrug shipyards can look to the future for the first time since their insolvency.
The Rönner Group from Bremerhaven will continue to operate the Flensburg shipyard, while the Lürssen Group from Bremen will take over Nobiskrug in Rendsburg. The employees are to be taken on – almost all of them have already agreed to the offer.
As announced at today’s press conference, the operation of the two shipyards previously belonging to Lars Windhorst ‘s Tennor Group has been secured. While Rönner is taking over FSG, the Nobiskrug shipyard is to be operated as part of the neighboring Lürssen-Kröger shipyard. Lürssen has submitted a notarized offer for this. The provisional insolvency administrators Christoph Morgen (Brinkmann & Partner law firm) and Hendrik Gittermann (Reimer law firm) announced that they will accept these offers as insolvency administrators in the week following the opening of the insolvency proceedings.
The employees of FSG and Nobiskrug were informed of this at staff meetings. The owners of the Rönner Group introduced themselves personally to the employees. Chas Kelly, Chairman of Searoad Shipping from Tasmania / Australia, explained that he had placed an order with the Rönner Group to complete the shipbuilding work in Flensburg.
FSG will deliver RoRo vessel
“We managed to find two renowned strategic investors for FSG and Nobiskrug within the extremely tight time window of just seven weeks,” explains Christoph Morgen. “In the week following the opening of insolvency proceedings, technical preparations will begin at the Flensburg shipyard for the Rönner Group to resume shipyard operations. I would like to thank Chas Kelly, the Chairman of Searoad, for coming all the way from Tasmania to northern Germany to secure the new 784 here in Flensburg,” Morgen continued.
“We are delighted that the takeover by Lürssen has created a long-term perspective for Rendsburg. The traditional company is an excellent fit for Nobiskrug. In addition, the capacities and locations of the two shipyards complement each other almost perfectly,” adds Hendrik Gittermann.
Preparatory work necessary at both shipyards
However, due to the considerable investment backlog, both shipyards are not yet operational. Extensive preparatory work still needs to be carried out in the coming months. This includes, for example, obtaining TÜV approvals and certifications, renovating buildings, setting up facilities, procuring materials and much more, as was reported.
A transfer company will therefore be set up for the employees, which will ensure the transition from February 1 and enable further training. Over 95 percent of employees have contractually agreed to this procedure. 310 of them belong to FSG and a further 140 to Nobiskrug. The transfer company will run for four months, during which the employees will receive 80% of their net salary. Even before the insolvency in December 2024, employees sometimes had to wait weeks for their wages.
VSM: “The tragedy is over”
In the view of the German Shipbuilding and Ocean Industries Association (VSM), the continued existence of the shipyards sends an important signal for Germany as an industrial location. This development clearly shows that German shipbuilding is here to stay, even in challenging times.
“With this commitment, the German industry is underpinning what the VSM has repeatedly emphasized: Every dock, every quayside and every square meter of heavy load area is needed,” said Chief Executive Reinhard Lüken. “The tragedy that has caused frustration in Flensburg and Rendsburg for so long has come to an end – and customers can look forward to great ships again.”
