Fincantieri News

European Union antitrust regulators have suspended their investigation into Fincantieri's bid for France's Chantiers de l'Atlantique while waiting for the Italian shipyard to provide requested data.The European Commission's website shows it halted the probe on March 13. Prior to that, it had been scheduled to rule on the case by April 17."This procedure in merger investigations is activated if the parties fail to provide, in a timely fashion, important information that the Commission has requested from them…

Along the 1,600-mile, ice gray arch of the St Lawrence Seaway, the 2020 Great Lakes commercial shipping season will lurch back to life on March 25 when the Soo Locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. reopen.The ceremonial opening signals a passage with passable ice and the 114th Great Lakes season for its fleet of 45 venerable lakers. Most of these huge self-loading freight haulers are at least 50 years old, rust free, and fit; American steel sailing on a freshwater sea.To handle Great Lakes cargo…

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri announced it has suspended production activities at its in-country sites from March 16 to March 29 due to the coronavirus pandemic.Fincantieri's full statement is below: Following the Coronavirus emergency and in order to apply the measures that the Italian Government has gradually determined, Fincantieri has promptly carried out a series of actions aimed at preventing and countering the chance of infections in its shipyards.In line with this, Fincantieri considers its key priorities - once again - the protection of its personnel and subcontractors…

Italian shipyard Fincantieri has not offered any concessions to head off EU antitrust concerns about its planned bid for France's Chantiers de l'Atlantique, giving regulators no choice but to block the deal, people familiar with the matter said on Friday.A veto by European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager would deal a serious blow to Italy's bid to create a European industrial champion in shipbuilding to better compete with Asian rivals.Fincantieri declined to comment.

Fincantieri risks an EU antitrust veto against its bid for Chantiers de l'Atlantique because of the difficulty of addressing regulators' concerns, people familiar with the matter said, in what would be a setback to Italy's industrial ambitions.Italy sees the deal by Europe's largest shipyard as an opportunity to create a European industrial champion in the shipbuilding industry to stave off competition from Asia and other regions.EU antitrust enforcers however are concerned that…

There was important cruise news in January: Viking – a premier European ocean and river cruise company - will offer two new “destination-focused travel experiences,” starting in 2022. One set of cruises becomes Viking’s first foray in the inland North American market, in this case the Great Lakes. Another set of cruises will head to the Arctic and Antarctica. Viking is building two new vessels: the Viking Octantis and the Viking Polaris, under construction now in Norway, by Fincantieri’s VARD.In a press release Viking writes that it has created “the thinking person’s expedition.”  Indeed…

The U.S. Navy launched its newest Freedom-variant littoral combat ship (LCS), the future USS Cooperstown (LCS 23), on January 19 and then christened the new warship during a ceremony on February 29, in Marinette, Wis."The christening of the future USS Cooperstown marks an important step toward this great ship's entry into the fleet," said Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly. “The dedication and skilled work of everyone involved in the building of this ship has ensured that…

The intergovernmental agreement signed between French and Italian States to establish Naviris, the joint-venture (JV) between the shipbuilders Naval Group and Fincantieri.This agreement makes the long term alliance launched by these two industrial Groups fully operational.The JV, owned equally by the two groups, will manage ambitious projects, including mid-term modernization of the Franco-Italian Horizon frigates, common R&D, export opportunities and the development of a European Patrol Corvette. “We welcome this intergovernmental agreement, which reinforces our joint-venture Naviris.

The technical launch of first Doha-class air defense corvette ordered by the Qatari Ministry of Defence within the national naval acquisition program, took place at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Muggiano (La Spezia).The corvette Al Zubarah is named after a ruined and ancient fort located on the north western coast of the Qatar peninsula in the Al Shamal municipality, about 105 km from the Qatari capital of Doha.The vessel, which will be delivered in 2021, is designed consistent with the RINAMIL rules…

There’s a barge full of reasons why many operators turn to ATBs.A  mainstay of the U.S. coastwise dirty and refined products trades, articulated tug barges (ATB) have increasingly filled a void left as the fleet of Jones Act tankers (with crew complement requirements exceeding that of tugs) has aged out. With the cargo capacity of the larger ATBs – some with barges exceeding 300,000 barrels capacity – rivalling that of workhorse tankers that had served oil consuming regions, the concept certainly makes sense from a supply and distribution perspective.With 50…

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and United Arab Emirates electronic firm Marakeb Technologies, have agreed to form a global partnership in the field of autonomous technology.The agreement was signed by Basel Shuhaiber, Chief Executive Officer of Marakeb Technologies, and Giuseppe Giordo, General Manager of Fincantieri Naval Business at the 2020 Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi.The agreement is intended to initiate a cross-evaluation of Fincantieri’s current automation solutions and Marakeb Technologies’ patented unmanned technology…

British entrepreneur Richard Branson heralded his first cruise ship "Scarlet Lady" on Friday as targeting a younger generation of holidaymakers with a range of attractions that he believes will outweigh any fears around coronavirus.Despite the unfortunate timing, with passengers on one ship quarantined in Japan after hundreds caught the virus and another turned away by five countries over fears someone on board may be ill, Branson sees cruises as a growth area.In an event at Dover…

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri said it has presented Scarlet Lady, the first of four new cruise ships it is building for new cruise ship operator Virgin Voyages, part of Richard Branson’s Virgin Group.The 110,00-gross-ton Scarlet Lady, constructed at the builder's shipyard in Genoa Sestri Ponente, is 278 meters long and 38 meters wide. Virgin Voyages second ship, Valiant Lady, currently under construction in the same yard, will be delivered in 2021, while the third and the fourth units…

The consortium consisting of Fincantieri, through its subsidiary Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM), and Lockheed Martin Corporation has delivered the future littoral combat ship USS St. Louis, LCS 19, to the Navy.St. Louis is the 10th Freedom-class ship, and the 19th littoral combat ship of 34 planned by the Navy. Independence-class LCS vessels are also underway.The Fincantieri and Lockheed Martin team is currently in full-rate production and has delivered ten ships to the U.S. Navy to date.

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri announced it has delivered Seven Seas Splendor for US-based Regent Seven Seas Cruises.The Ancona-built ultra-luxury cruise ship is the second Fincaantieri has delivered for the Regent Seven Seas Cruises, a Norwegian Cruise Line brand. The newbuild is the fifth-all-suite vessel in Regent’s fleet.Like sister ship Seven Seas Explorer, delivered by Fincantieri at the Sestri Ponente (Genova) shipyard in 2016, Seven Seas Splendor is 55,000 gross tons, 224 meters long and is able to accommodate 750 passengers on board in 375 suites all including private balconies.

Italian Shipbuilding Company Fincantieri has officially launched the "Emilio Bianchi" frigate, the tenth and last FREMM (Multi Mission European Frigates) vessel at the integrated shipyard of Riva Trigoso (Genoa).The ship has been launched with the combat system and platform equipment already installed onboard and fully integrated. She will now be moved to the Fincantieri‘s shipyard in Muggiano (La Spezia) where, within next June, sea trials will start to test her performances.The ship will be delivered to the Italian Navy in March 2020…

Qatar's Ministry of Defense has signed an agreement with Italian shipbuilding group Fincantieri evaluate and study new technologies and capabilities, possibly leading to a future acquisition of new vessels in 2020.Fincantier said it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Barzan Holding, a company wholly owned by the Qatari Ministry of Defense and responsible for empowering the military capabilities of the national armed force in the state, in Doha, on Friday.The programs indicated in the MOU include…

Italian shipbuilding company has been awarded an order worth almost 100 million euros (about 111 million U.S. dollars) to provide high-profile equipment as part of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project to build a nuclear fusion reactor.The ITER Project is a multinational collaboration aimed at building an experimental hydrogen fusion reactor, first of its kind, and acknowledged as one of the most ambitious initiatives in the world in the field of sustainable energy.A temporary consortium has been established for the execution of these activities.

The joint venture between Fincantieri and Naval Group, held its first board meeting for Naviris. Through Naviris, Fincantieri and Naval Group are pooling their strengths to develop a new strategic capability and respond in an innovative way to the needs of their customers.The two companies have established that Naviris is a 50/50 joint venture. With the head office located in Genoa with a subsidiary in Ollioules, the Naviris team will focus on bi-national and export projects.

Fincantieri Chairman Giampiero Massolo defended the Italian shipbuilder's planned acquisition of French rival Chantiers de l'Atlantique, and said jobs in the industry could suffer if the project fell through.European competition authorities last month opened an in-depth investigation into the proposed deal, saying it would significantly reduce competition and could push up prices for cruise ships."Ours is a valid industrial project that could not only help Europe's shipbuilding industry compete better globally…

Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 19, the future USS St. Louis, has completed acceptance trials in Lake Michigan and will now undergo final outfitting and fine-tuning before delivery to the US Navy early next year.Christened and launched on December 15, 2018, LCS 19 was built by Marinette Marine in Marinette, Wis. The vessel is the seventh ship in naval service named after St. Louis, Mo. and the 10th Freedom-variant LCS designed and built by the Lockheed Martin-led industry team."The LCS fleet is growing in numbers and capability…

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) to design and construct two new-generation luxury expedition cruise ships for French cruise operator Ponant.The MoA also envisages an option for one further sister-ship. The finalization of the contract is subject to the fulfillment of technical and financial conditions.In the past, Fincantieri has already built for Ponant 4 ships in Ancona, "Le Boréal", "L'Austral", "Le Soléal", and "Le Lyrial", delivered respectively in 2010…

A Lockheed Martin-led team has secured a multibillion dollar order from the U.S. Navy to build four Multi-Mission Surface Combatants ships for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as part of the U.S.’s Foreign Military Sales program.Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM), who has been working with Lockheed Martin, naval architect Gibbs & Cox and more than 800 suppliers in 42 states for the US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program, said it will build the ships at its Marinette yard in Wisconsin.