The delivery of these sections for the French frigate marks a significant milestone for the Salamis Shipyards and the Greek shipbuilding defense industry. It is the first time in history that a Greek shipyard is participating in constructing a high-tech warship for the naval fleet of another country through the FDI program.
This collaboration with the Naval Group includes the participation of the shipyards in the construction of FDI frigates for both the Hellenic Navy and the French Navy. The agreement covers the construction of five (5) pre-equipped sections (blocks) of the hull and superstructure for up to six (6) FDI frigates. Already in February of this year, the Salamis Shipyards delivered the five (5) pre-equipped blocks of the third Greek FDI HN Phormion (fourth FDI in the production series), which are already at the Naval Group’s shipyard in Lorient, France, for the construction of the Greek frigate. Furthermore, the Salamis Shipyards recently expanded their collaboration with the Naval Group for the construction of the third French FDI frigate (Admiral Castex).
The project, in addition to cutting, shaping, assembling, welding, and erecting the sections, also requires the construction, installation, and alignment of critical equipment for the operational profile of the frigates, adhering strictly to the specifications. Thus, besides the shipbuilding of sections with a special high-demand steel alloy DH36, Naval Group entrusted the construction of key systems, such as the base of the main gun, the bow thruster, the helicopter hangar, and their peripheral systems, among others, to the Salamis Shipyards, which fully completed the task. This demonstrates the successful transfer of technology and the specialized knowledge and capabilities of the Salamis Shipyards. It is worth noting that the degree of completeness of the pre-equipping of the blocks achieved by the Salamis Shipyards reaches 80.4%, a percentage that is among the highest achieved, according to sources with full knowledge of the shipbuilding processes.
We delivered 5 hull blocks for the second French FDI frigate, following the 5 blocks that were constructed at our shipyard and delivered to Naval Group for the construction of the third Greek FDI HN Formion. Recently, our shipyards also expanded the collaboration with Naval Group for the construction project of the third French frigate that follows. Hopefully, we will soon participate in the construction of the fourth Greek FDI (note: it is an option in the program) as well. We feel particularly proud to be part of the FDI frigate program, which is a turning point for the Greek shipbuilding industry, as for the first time, Greece is exporting a defense product of this magnitude.
George Koros, CEO of Salamis Shipyards
The combination of the extensive knowledge and experience of Salamis Shipyards in demanding and specialized projects, along with the expertise transferred to Greece by Naval Group for a high-tech and demanding project that has never existed in Greece before, now establishes specialized knowledge and capabilities with the corresponding certifications that Salamis Shipyards possess.
Salamis Shipyards and Naval Projects
Salamis Shipyards is a modern and adaptable shipbuilding facility, located in the Piraeus Basin, Greece. Docking facilities include three fully serviced double-sided outfitting piers with lengths of 185, 155 and 70 meters respectively. For over four decades, it has been involved in new constructions and unique projects on an international scale. The company has led innovative initiatives in commercial shipping and defense, catering to Greece and other NATO countries. It is a certified contractor for the Hellenic Ministry of Defense and is fully certified under the DIN EN ISO 9001:2015.
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Although it is the third-largest shipyard, overshadowed by the two major ones, Skaramanga (Hellenic Shipyards) and Elefsina (ONEX Elefsis Shipyards), frequently mentioned in the Greek media, the Salamis shipyard is quietly and efficiently advancing a project that, as previously mentioned, is a first for both Greece and France. Greece has never before built part of a warship for a foreign country, and France (Naval Group) has never entrusted the construction of its military equipment to a foreign nation. It is not common for such a shipbuilding giant to allow a shipyard to transfer such expertise.
The FDI frigates the Salamis Shipyards are building for the Naval Group are of exceptionally high technology, and the transfer of this technology, special knowledge and skills with the corresponding certifications, from France to Greece, are of great significance. Furthermore, if Greece exercises the option for a fourth FDI HN frigate, it is certain that parts of it will be constructed in Greece. A potential Greek-French shipbuilding collaboration could also materialize if the FDI design of Naval Group is chosen by a third country for her Fleet.
Not only that, but the Americans also trusted the shipyard’s efficiency and readiness for the repair, reactivation and upgrade of the four Island-class coastal patrol boats that were transferred to Greece for a low cost. It is an important and demanding project that requires a combination of knowledge. There is also potential interest in other ship upgrade projects, such as the four Hydra-class (MEKO-200HN) frigates. According to information reported in the Greek press, there is significant interest from the German and Dutch consortium (TKMS-Thales Nederland) in upgrading the Greek frigates at Salamis Shipyards, though the process is still ongoing. It would not be surprising if, in the future, we see more ships of the Hellenic Navy or even the Hellenic Coast Guard (such as the OPV Arkoi) being modernized there.
