Company insight Committed to progress
Navantia is a Spanish state-owned company that specialises in the design and construction of high- technology military and civilian vessels. Jose Manuel Noya, commercial director of Navantia’s ship repairs division, talks about the company’s background and plans for the future.
When was Navantia founded and what does it specialise in? Jose Manuel Noya: Navantia was established in 2005, but its history dates back nearly 300 years, when the Royal Docks were created in the Ferrol estuary, Cadiz Bay and Cartagena. They were mainly devoted to military shipbuilding and ship repair, with the primary purpose of providing services and support to the Spanish Navy. The shipyards have undergone a series of changes throughout their history, but have maintained their status as a state-operated company, wholly owned by SEPI Group. One major development in recent times was the merger of the two main naval groups in Spain, which took place in 2001. Bazan and Astilleros Españoles combined to form Izar, which eventually led to the creation of the current Navantia company. Navantia’s main activities are military and commercial shipbuilding and ship repair, but the company is also active in other sectors such as systems and weapons, steam turbines and diesel engines, and offshore wind power.
Navantia has six ship repair yards in three areas. Where are they based and what advantages do their locations provide to ship owners? Navantia’s head office is in Madrid, but its shipbuilding and ship repair activity is concentrated in three strategically located areas around the Spanish coast, with a total of six yards. Navantia’s ship repair division has five yards integrated in three ship repair centres: Navantia Cadiz Bay (Cadiz and San Fernando), Navantia Ferrol Estuary (Ferrol and Fene) and Navantia Cartagena Port. The main advantage of their locations is that they cover key areas with heavy marine traffic in the northern Atlantic, Strait of Gibraltar and Mediterranean Sea. Cadiz Bay is Navantia’s main facility for the cruise repair and refit business due to its location, vast docking capacity and experience in the sector. However, Navantia has recently expanded its cruise repair
22
Navantia’s ship repair centre at Cadiz Bay is the company’s main facility for cruise repair and refit due to its extensive experience, strategic location and vast docking capacity.
activity to its Ferrol estuary yard, to act as support for Cadiz Bay and to provide its services at a closer location to vessels operating in northern Europe. The number of cruise ships operating in Europe has increased in recent years, creating regional docking opportunities and making the Ferrol estuary an ideal option for medium and small cruise ships, as well as a great alternative for shorter projects that do not want to deviate from their northern routes.
Navantia has become a prestigious name in the ship repair industry. What are the key factors behind this evolution?
Navantia has a long tradition of both military and commercial ship repairs, but it was in the early ’90s when the company started to focus most of its repair activity on international merchant vessels of all types. However, a few years later, each of the three ship repair centres specialised in a particular type of commercial vessel, all from demanding sectors that require a high level of knowledge. The main target behind this strategy was for every ship repair centre to become a key reference in its segment by adapting and enhancing their already excellent human and technical resources. Cadiz Bay specialises in cruise ships, the
Ferrol estuary in LNG carriers and Cartagena in mega-yachts. Over the past few decades, all have reached an outstanding position in their respective markets.
Navantia Cadiz Bay had already been providing docking and marine repair services to cruise ships and other types of passenger vessels for many years, but it has recently developed its specialised business line for the docking and repair of cruise ships. The repair centre has greatly increased its number of major cruise ship docking and revitalisation projects, including some of the most renowned vessels in the world.
What long-term plans and strategies is Navantia pursuing? Navantia’s long-term aims are to maintain and strengthen the position of its ship repair centres as specialists in their field, develop better services for clients, adapt to the industry’s ever-changing requirements and proactively prepare for the future. In terms of cruise ship repair, the most relevant development at Cadiz Bay in line with this strategy has been the recent expansion of its relationship with key suppliers and equipment manufacturers within the cruise sector. It has sought to adapt its resources and facilities to provide refurbishment, modernisation and upgrading services for all types of cruise ships.
World Cruise Industry Review /
www.worldcruiseindustryreview.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65
