May the 15th, 2023 – Is the previously enfeebled Croatian 3 Maj shipyard set to construct a vessel for an American shipping company? A letter of intent has been signed, but we’re yet to see how the situation will pan out in a concrete sense in Rijeka.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, in the Croatian 3 Maj shipyard, a letter of intent was signed for the construction of a series of expedition polar cruisers with an American shipping company. This good news for the 3 Maj berths has been unofficially confirmed to Novi list from several sources, but due to the confidentiality clause, all details of this business operation, including the identity of the shipowner, are being kept from the public for the time being.
According to the information at their disposal, this large job, which will definitely put a spring in the step of the Rijeka shipyard, is of such a scale that it would solve the key issue of the survival of the Rijeka slipways, as it would ensure the employment of capacity for several years.
Allegedly, there are four new builds in the game to begin with, and these are cruisers that would be smaller in size and slightly less luxurious than the Eclipse I and II of the Australian Scenic group, but they would also be constructed and equipped in the highest polar class that currently exists for passenger ships.
The preparation and elaboration of all accompanying documentation that precedes the final initialing is now ahead of the Rijeka shipyard, but the intention is that the contracts for the construction of the first new builds from this series of expedition cruisers will be signed by the end of this year. In the months to come, there will be a much clearer picture of this significant business that has knocked on the more than likely very grateful ”door” of the Croatian 3 Maj shipyard.
As is currently known, the Rijeka shipyard is facing another restructuring procedure or, rather, company reorganisation. There is a previously adopted plan for the shipyard, according to which the activity and some of the employees would be transferred to the subsidiary company “3 Maj Rijeka 1905”, which is the most elegant solution to get rid of the burden of current negative capital which amounts to 102 million euros.
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