Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems in Kiel, Germany, has signed a contract to acquire the Oceana shipyard in Brazil. The company wants Oceana because it has been chosen as preferred shipyard for the building of four Tamandaré-class frigates for the Brazilian Navy.
The shipyard is being sold by Aliança S.A., a company owned by CBO Group based in Rio de Janeiro. The yard specialises in offshore support vessels and is one of the largest employers of qualified maritime personnel in the Brazilian market. The acquisition is being executed through the Brazilian subsidiary, Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems do Brasil.
The transaction is subject to the approval of the Brazilian antitrust authorities and the official entry into force of the frigate contract – expected for the middle of this year. It was agreed not to disclose the purchase price.
Domestic added value
‘Even in challenging times like these, we are single-mindedly pursuing our path,’ says Dr. Rolf Wirtz, CEO of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems. ‘With Oceana, we have an excellent infrastructure for building the most modern frigate of the Brazilian Navy. The shipyard also offers us the prospect of taking on follow-on orders. Not only locally, but also in other countries of South America.’
The Oceana shipyard was set up in 2013 for the production of offshore support vessels and suitable for large-scale projects. Over the next two years, up to 800 local employees are to be recruited for the Tamandaré project alone. This means that ships with a very high domestic added value can be built in Brazil, which is also often a prerequisite to win such orders. Delivery of the ships is planned to take place between 2025 and 2028.
Águas Azuis, a joint venture of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (lead), Embraer Defense & Security and Atech, will be responsible for completion of the four frigates.
