Rheinmetall and the Swiss shipping company MSC intend to acquire the Romanian Mangalia shipyard, located south of Constanța.
They have now been awarded the bid following an auction. The aim of the takeover is to establish a dual-use production site, where both civil and military shipbuilding activities for domestic and international markets can be developed and carried out in parallel. To this end, the site will be subdivided into various sectors and security zones in the future.
The acquisition, which is expected to be finalised in a few weeks, involves a purchase price of around €138 million (approx. $222 million), to be paid jointly by the two partners.
For Rheinmetall Naval Systems, the Mangalia shipyard will play an important role in the build of four naval vessels, which have been commissioned by the Romanian government.
These include two 96-metre offshore patrol vessels as well as two 43-metre diver support vessels. At the same time, the site is intended to serve as a hub for further military shipbuilding projects.
“Following the acquisition, we plan to expand and upgrade the shipyard comprehensively. Our aim is to further develop the existing infrastructure, improve production conditions and adapt capacity to meet future requirements. This will enable the site in the long term to play a key role in the implementation of our strategic activities in South-Eastern Europe and to strengthen our industrial presence in the region,” CEO of the Naval Systems division, Tim Wagner, said.
The Dusseldorf technology group has been active in Romania since 2024 through Rheinmetall Automecanica, located in Mediaș.