Talks held on future of Damen Shipyards Mangalia
The talks took place following the acquisition by the Damen Group of the shares held in the shipyard by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in July. Since then, Damen and the Romanian Government are joint venture partners and operational control of the yard has been assumed by Damen. The yard has been renamed Damen Shipyards Mangalia.
The subjects discussed included medium-term plans to develop Romania’s shipbuilding industry through the construction of a more diverse range of products including large-scale shipbuilding and high added value projects such as cruise ships. Plans for expansion of the present workforce to a minimum of 3,000 personnel over the next few years was also discussed.
Noting the current condition of the shipyard, the Damen chairman said that his company faced a challenge, but he vowed to improve working conditions in the shipyard and to improve social amenities through refurbishing and upgrading canteen and accommodation facilities. He also said that with the support of the Romanian Government, he was confident that the financial health of the shipyard could be restored.