Feature 1 | SPANISH MARINE INDUSTRIES


Softening the blow Te good news in all of this is that the strength of the current orderbook means Spanish yards have a two to three-year cushion to soſten the blow and hope for an upturn in the global economy and, by extension, the maritime sector. Experts suggest that Spanish yards have


adopted a conservative approach that has allowed them to consolidate their position during the good years to help them ride out leaner times. This success is largely due to a strategy


that focuses on high-value, high-tech ships, drawing on decades of experience and a rich maritime heritage that allows Spanish yards to add value to specialised orders. Tis focus has helped Spain forge a niche for


itself in the international shipbuilding sector and, until recently, largely avoid the wide scale cancellations that have begun to hit Asian yards following the slump in the freight markets. And despite the lack of orders, the interest


from owners is still there. Although the number of sealed contracts


has dropped dramatically, the level of enquiries remains at an ‘acceptable’ level. “Having said that, it’s not as strong


as in the years prior to the crisis, but at that point we registered extraordinary demand from owners,” the yard source said. Yards in Galicia and Asturias in particular


are pinning great hope in plans by the Russian government to embark on a wide-ranging renewal of the country’s heſty trawler fleet. A group of yards including Armón,


Vulcano, Freire, Metalships and Polyships have approached Russia’s federal Fisheries Agency with a proposal to construct in Vigo the 500 factory ships that Russia wants operational by 2020. Te Russian government has offered land


and infrastructure for the Spanish yards to set up operations near Kaliningrad but they have in turn come back with an amended proposal that envisages building the first vessels in Spain. At that stage, Russian engineers would be included in the project so as to gain valuable


know-how that could then be transferred to Russia’s own yards. The Russian authorities have also


approached another Galician yard, Hijos de J. Barreras, to sound out interest in the fleet renewal program. Te Spanish yard said it would accept the technical design of the first prototytpes but is insisting that at least 10 vessels be built at its Vigo yard. Russians aside, there are other potential


customers lined up too. “A lot is being said about the possibility of


building trawlers for the Russian government, but lots of businessmen from European and African countries are also visiting our yards to learn and see what we can offer,” said a spokesman at Asturian yard Armón. The focus, in essence, is on bringing


in new orders while the slipways are busy. A spokesman at Construcciones Navales P.


Freire summed it up: “Te aim at this time is to win an ample orderbook to inject security back into the sector before the workload runs out in 2012.” NA


Madrid backs maritime industry with cash


A government finance package has been awarded to the Spanish maritime industry in an effort to boost research and development and to help owners through the lean times as the credit crunch bites.


T


he Spanish government recently approved a €65million financing package to help shipyards and


national shipowners to ride out the credit crunch. The bulk of the funds, €45.8million,


are aimed at bolstering restructuring programmes at Spanish shipyards focused on technical research and development, as well as training schemes for workers. In order to access the funds, yards must


first obtain approval for programmes aimed at boosting competiveness and productivity. Te balance of the package, just under


€20million, is aimed at helping shipowners meet credit interest payments thereby obtain more flexible financing. Access to the funding is structured in line


with European Unioin (EU) state aid rules. The government initiative reflects the


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importance of the maritime sector to the Spanish economy. According to government figures, there


are currently some 8000 persons directly employed in ship building and ship repair, as well as a further 12,000 who work in auxiliary industries vital to both sectors. Another 6000 workers are employed in companies that supply materials and ancillary services to the yards. According to the Spanish Maritime


Cluster, a grouping established in late 2007 to bring together public and private entities from across the maritime sector, the maritime sector contributes 3.2% of Spain’s GDP and directly employs 450,000 workers. Including knock-on benefits, its


contribution to GDP and employment rises to 7% and 1million workers respectively. The SMC currently has around 50 members – including shipyards, ports,


banks, law firms, shipowners and industry associations, alongside official state bodies - and one of its key priorities for the year ahead is to boost its membership substantially. Other key aims include marketing Spain as


an “innovative maritime country”, promoting competition and technological innovation, and boosting training for new entrants into the sector. Te initiatives to revitalise the maritime


sector come at a time when some yards are up against the wall. In the south of Spain two privately owned


yards, Astilleros de Huelva and Astilleros de Sevilla, have witnessed labour strife as yard executives work to save the facilities from closure as credit lines dry up. In Huelva, almost 70% of the workforce


has been temporarily laid off until January as the yard teeters on the edge of collapse. NA


The Naval Architect November 2009


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