Rönner and Lürssen take over FSG-Nobiskurg

At the press conference at the FSG shipyard last week (from left) Dr Christoph Morgen, provisional insolvency administrator of FSG; Michael Schmidt, Chairman of workers union IG Metall Flensburg; Daniel Günther, Minister President of Schleswig-Holstein; Thorsten Rönner, managing owner Rönner Group; and Chas Kelly. chairman of SeaRoad Shipping

 

(Source: Marianne Lins / FSG)

 

 

Flensburg shipyard, FSG, and Nobiskrug in Rendsburg have been rescued from collapse as two provisional insolvency administrators have accepted takeover offers in a seven-week timeframe. The Rönner Group from Bremerhaven will take control of FSG and Bremen’s Lürssen Group will take over the Nobiskrug facility.  

A transfer company, set up for employees, will ensure that they can continue to work for the two shipbuilders. At the end of last week, 95% of the 500-strong workforce had contractually agreed to the transfer.

An important outcome of the deal is that construction of the RoRo freight ferry currently being built at the Flensburg shipyard for Australia’s SeaRoad Shipping group, will continue. Chas Kelly, chairman of SeaRoad, who had flown over specially from Tasmania, revealed that he had placed an order with the Rönner Group to complete construction of the 210m-long, 4,227-lane-metre vessel.   

“We have managed to find two renowned strategic investors for FSG and Nobiskrug within the extremely tight timeframe of just seven weeks,” declared Dr Christoph Morgen, one of the two provisional insolvency administrators. "In the week following the opening of the 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 vessel 784 here in Flensburg,” he added.

The other administrator, Hendrik Gittermann, commented: “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.”

Union representatives also expressed their positive sentiments. Michael Schmidt, chairman of workers union IG Metall Flensburg, said: “FSG can now once again show that it can fulfil technically highly demanding orders such as the construction of the LNG-powered RoRo vessel for SeaRoad. The Rönner Group has an outstanding team that always fights for its shipyard. These are the people you need when it comes to complex shipbuilding contracts and Germany's energy security. They are ready and waiting in the transfer company.”

Speaking for the Rendsburg workforce, chairman of IG Metall Rendsburg, Martin Bitter, commented: “Nobiskrug will be retained as a shipbuilding and industrial site. This is good news in these uncertain times. With Lürssen, there is a buyer with the economic capacity and the necessary expertise to bring the shipyard back into calmer waters."

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