Balenciaga Shipyard Officially Marks Its Relaunch with the Keel Laying of the First of Two Offshore Support Tugs in Its Order Book

The Zumaia shipyard aims to establish itself in the offshore renewable energy market with the support of Safeen Drydocks, a subsidiary of AD Ports Group, Abu Dhabi.

Following its acquisition by Safeen Drydocks (AD Ports Group, Abu Dhabi) earlier this year, Balenciaga Shipyard has officially marked the reactivation of its production facilities in Zumaia (Gipuzkoa) with the keel-laying ceremony of the first offshore support tug included in its order book for this new phase. The Basque shipyard described the ceremony as "a milestone" symbolising "the recovery and renewal of one of the Basque Country's most historic shipbuilding facilities." The event was attended by representatives of AD Ports Group and the Basque Government, institutional partners, suppliers and members of the shipyard's workforce.

"Today we celebrate the fact that, after 100 years, Balenciaga once again has a future. There have been many months of uncertainty and dark clouds, but we never lost hope," said Mikel Jauregi, the Basque Government's Minister for Industry, Energy Transition and Sustainability. He thanked the shipyard's employees for their commitment to the company's future and welcomed "the new industrial investors, who will have our full support."

Balenciaga highlighted that the ceremony marked "not only the physical start of construction, but also the overall relaunch of Balenciaga Shipyard as an active company with a forward-looking vision." "This keel laying is more than the beginning of a newbuild; it is proof that Balenciaga Shipyard is back," said Balenciaga Shipyard's Managing Director, Santiago Bardal.

With these two offshore support tugs, Balenciaga Shipyard aims to position itself as "a reliable and competitive shipbuilder for the European offshore renewable energy market." The company also stated that its objective is "to secure additional contracts in the offshore wind sector, where demand for specialised vessels continues to grow."

Balenciaga Shipyard's new owner also reaffirmed its commitment to investing in the workforce, facilities, automation and supply chain. "The resumption of operations at Balenciaga Shipyard marks an important milestone in our long-term commitment to strengthening advanced shipbuilding capabilities in Europe and supporting the growth of the offshore and renewable energy sectors," said Captain Ammar Al Shaiba, AD Ports Group's CEO – Maritime & Shipping Cluster.

Source: Industrias Pesqueras