TRIESTE – Fincantieri Group is strengthening its presence in the Gulf through an industrial cooperation agreement signed in Bahrain: an opportunity to build military vessels up to 80 metres in length for the Royal Bahrain Naval Force and the Coast Guard.
Fincantieri and ASRY (Arab Shipbuilding & Repair Yard), a leading operator in ship repair and marine services in the Kingdom of Bahrain, have signed a partnership agreement to explore new collaboration opportunities in the shipbuilding sector.
The agreement, the note states, represents for Fincantieri an important gateway into Bahrain’s naval market and a further step in consolidating the Group’s strategy and presence in the Middle East, also through possible cooperation with MAESTRAL, the joint venture between Fincantieri and EDGE.
Under the Memorandum of Understanding, the two companies will jointly assess opportunities for the design and construction of surface combatants up to 80 metres in length, intended for use by Bahrain’s Navy and Coast Guard. The partnership will also explore the design and construction of similarly sized offshore units, as well as the execution of export contracts in the Gulf area. The understanding also includes maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for military, commercial and offshore units, as well as the exchange of know-how in naval design and the optimisation of production processes.
The signing took place on the sidelines of the 46th Gulf Cooperation Council Summit, held in the presence of Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, and Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain.
Fincantieri was represented by Chairman Biagio Mazzotta and Eugenio Santagata, General Manager of the Naval Vessels Division, who signed the agreement together with Ahmed AlAbri, CEO of ASRY.
