seatec - Finnish marine technology review 1/2013 | Page 25

97 000 gross tons Mein Schiff 3, which is are facing heat from the local competition, ri which just purchased STX OSV – world due for delivery next year, while the sec- China, and STX may well be a casualty in leader in the construction of offshore sup- ond vessel should be delivered in 2015. the war. It is noteworthy to observe that port vessels for oil and gas extraction and South Korea had no shipbuilding industry production – from STX Europe. But as European shipyards are facing hard times, the mother company STX Ko- at all until the early 1970s. This means that with 21 shipyards in three different continents, the Fincan- rea is heavily in debt and under pressure to sell some of its assets – especially those THE ITALIAN JOB tieri Group is doubling its size, becoming, not of Korean origin. The market in Korea Europe, however, has long traditions in in essence, one of the top five shipbuild- is tough as nails as the country is home to shipbuilding and some players are even in ers worldwide and the leading Western seven of the world’s ten largest shipbuild- position to take advantage of the Korean producer – also in terms of diversification ing companies. The Korean shipbuilders woes. Case in point: the Italian Fincantie- and presence in the high value added seg- seatec 1/2013 23