TKMS takes over Brazilian yard

German naval shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) said it has signed a contract to buy the Oceana shipyard in Brazil. The seller is Brazilian Alianca S.A., a company owned by CBO Group in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The acquisition is being executed through the Brazilian subsidiary, ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems do Brasil, and is part of the internationalisation strategy of Marine Systems.

Oceana has been chosen as preferred shipyard for the building of four Tamandaré-class frigates for the Brazilian navy which will be constructed by TKMS and a Brazilian consortium in a contract announced in March this year. The transaction for the Oceana shipyard takeover is subject to the approval of the Brazilian competition authorities and the official entry into force of the Tamandaré frigate contract which is expected for the middle of this year. It was agreed not to disclose the purchase price for the yard.

German group ThyssenKrupp had said earlier in May it is considering the future of TKMS and may sell the shipbuilder (New Ships 21/2020). TKMS chief executive officer Dr Rolf Wirtz said: "Even in challenging times like these, we are single-mindedly pursuing our path. Our successful export business enables us to maintain and further develop our technological capabilities in Germany and to grow as a company. All our customers benefit from this. 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 construction of offshore support vessels and is able to handle large-scale projects. Over the next two years, up to 800 Brazilian 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. Delivery of the Tamandaré ships is planned to take place between 2025 and 2028.