Norwegians Buy Romanian Shipyard

Norwegian group Scandinor AS has signed a contract with Romania's main privatization agency, FPS, to acquire a majority stake in local shipyard Santierul Naval Braila. Scandinor is to acquire the State Ownership Fund's (FPS) full stake of 69.52 percent in Santierul Naval in a $9.3 million deal including investments spread over five years, FPS executive manager Alin Giurgiu said. He said the acquisition price represented around one third of the value of the deal, with investments worth some $6 million focusing on technology upgrades and environmental protection. Scandinor, Giurgiu said, will also take over Santierul Naval's debts, amounting to around $11.4 million, mainly to banks and suppliers. The yard designs, builds and repairs small- and medium-tonnage river- and sea-going ships. The shipyard ended 1999 with a net profit of around $205,000. Comparative data for 1998 were unavailable. Scandinor has been present in Romania since 1993 in various shipping-related businesses.