Aker Yards and Damen Plan Joint Venture

Aker Yards and Damen Shipyards Group are planning to establish a joint venture owning the Damen Shipyards Okean yard in Mykolayiv, Ukraine. The plans will contribute to an increased steel- and shipbuilding capacity of Aker Yards. The Okean yard is able to build a variety of vessels, steel sections for all the three business areas of Aker Yards, as well as the existing Damen range of vessels. Karl Erik Kjelstad, CEO & President of Aker Yards states in a comment: "This planned cooperation meets Aker Yards strategy to increase its steel and shipbuilding capacity." Rene H. Berkvens, CEO of Damen Shipyards Group emphasizes that the product range of Aker Yards matches very well with the capacities of the Okean yard and for that reason this is a very valuable cooperation. For Aker Yards ownership share it will pay EUR 10 million cash at closing. Further payments will be dependent on financial performance of the yard. Other terms and outstanding conditions are to be settled before the transaction is closed. The transaction is subject to approval by relevant governmental authorities and settlement of other outstanding conditions.