The two companies have signed a strategic agreement for the expansion of Chantier Naval de Marseille, a subsidiary of San Giorgio del Porto. The agreement includes investments and competitive growth.
Costa Cruises and San Giorgio del Porto have signed an agreement to develop a world-class ship repair and conversion center. This agreement also allows Costa Cruises to acquire 33.3% of the capital of Chantier Naval de Marseille, a Marseille-based company specializing in ship repairs and refurbishments and controlled by the Genoa-based San Giorgio del Porto.
The agreement between Costa Cruises and San Giorgio del Porto to strengthen the Marseille Shipyard entails an initial investment of €10 million aimed at increasing the shipyard's efficiency with the best available technologies. This investment will generate volumes and scale that will allow the shipbuilding industry as a whole to benefit from facilities specifically designed for each type of vessel and maximize the potential of dry dock number 10, capable of accommodating large ships. Furthermore, it will create a positive impact in terms of both direct and indirect employment.
This initiative represents another step by Costa towards a more technically advanced management of the Group's fleet. In this regard, significant growth is planned thanks to the arrival of seven new ships (three for the German company AIDA Cruises, two for Costa Cruises, and two for Costa Asia), which will allow the Group to reach 110,000 berths. Four of these new vessels will be powered by LNG, making them the first in the cruise industry to use this innovative propulsion technology that neutralizes the negative effects of emissions. Costa, a pioneer in emissions reduction, has already made numerous investments and plans to equip its current ships with exhaust gas reduction systems, thus confirming its commitment to sustainability and respect for the environment.
“The Italian ship repair industry boasts a level of excellence that San Giorgio del Porto has exported to Marseille, where the port's infrastructure allows for business expansion into new market segments. With the founding of Chantier Naval de Marseille a few years ago, we laid the groundwork for creating a center specializing in ship conversion and repair. The new agreement, reached with a player of Costa Cruises' caliber, strengthens this project and enables the creation of a truly world-class ship repair and conversion center, a global benchmark open to all ship owners and market segments,” explained Ferdinando Garrè, CEO of San Giorgio del Porto.
“The Costa Group is a leader in the European market and, thanks to a strategy based on innovation, demonstrates that it is the company in the sector most focused on the future. This strategic agreement, the first of its kind for the Costa Group, represents a milestone for our future operations and ensures better management of all maintenance activities for our ships, including the next generation of vessels we will receive in the coming years. I am confident that this agreement will bring added value to both companies and new opportunities to build an innovative and efficient shipyard,” said Michael Thamm, CEO of Costa Cruises.
The port of Marseille, the largest in France, is at the forefront of the shipbuilding industry thanks to its infrastructure, which allows it to handle very large vessels. Chantier Naval de Marseille operates three dry docks, including dock number 10, which, at 465 by 85 meters, is the largest in the Mediterranean.
Chantier Naval de Marseille was founded by San Giorgio del Porto in 2010 and employs approximately 120 workers, including naval architects, mechanical engineers, and specialized technicians. The shipyard is strategically located in the heart of a busy shipping lane stretching from Genoa to Barcelona.
Marseille also represents a significant reality for the cruise industry, and Costa was among the first companies to choose the city as a destination for its Mediterranean routes. Thanks to close collaboration with the port authorities (Grand Port Maritime Marseille), Costa built a passenger terminal, which has grown over the years and now expects to receive more than two million passengers.
