Aker Yards will build two merchant ships at their shipyard in Braila following an order from the French-based shipping company Maritima. The contract is worth 22 million EUR and could be extended by another two ships, according to shippingtimes.co.uk quoted by NewsIn.
The (initial) two ships are scheduled for delivery in October 2008 and, respectively, in January 2009. Maritima is controlled by Compagnie Fluviale de Transport (CFT). Aker Yards delivered three similar ships to Maritima in 2005 and 2006 and has another order for 2008. The ships will have a capacity of 3,500 cubic meters and a total length of 89.2 meters. The top speed will be 12 knots.
Aker Yards ASA is one of the top five shipbuilders worldwide. The company bought the shipyard in Braila, Romania, in 2003, upon the acquisition of Scandinor, the owner of the shipyard at that time. Aker also owns the shipyard in Tulcea, bought from the State seven years ago. Aker Yards has over 20,000 employees and 17 shipyards in Brazil, France, Finland, Germany, Norway, Romania and Ukraine.