thyssenkrupp Marine Systems to acquire Oceana shipyard in Brazil

Germany’s naval company thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) has signed a contract to acquire the Oceana shipyard in Brazil – the shipyard which will build four Tamandaré-class corvettes for the Brazilian Navy. 

The shipyard will be bought from Aliança S.A., a company owned by Brazilian CBO Group which specializes in the offshore support vessels sector and one of the largest employers of qualified maritime personnel in the Brazilian market.

As explained, the acquisition is being executed through the Brazilian subsidiary, thyssenkrupp Marine Systems do Brasil, and is part of the international strategy of Marine Systems.

The newly unveiled acquisition is subject to the approval of the Brazilian antitrust authorities and the official entry into force of the frigate contract – expected for the middle of this year. It was agreed not to disclose the purchase price, according to TKMS.

“Even in challenging times like these, we are single-mindedly pursuing our path. Our successful export business enables us to maintain and further develop our technological capabilities in Germany and to grow as a company,” Rolf Wirtz, CEO of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, commented.

“With Oceana, we have an excellent infrastructure for building the most modern frigate of the Brazilian Navy. The shipyard also offers us the prospect of taking on follow-on orders. Not only locally, but also in other countries of South America.”

The Oceana shipyard was set up in 2013 for the production of high quality and technology offshore support vessels and is said to be ideal for large-scale projects. Over the next two years, up to 800 local employees are to be recruited for the Tamandaré project alone.

Tamandaré-class ships

Last year, a consortium created by TKMS, Embraer Defense & Security and Atech was selected to build the ship quartet under the program valued at up to USD 1.6 billion.

In March 2020, the Águas Azuis consortium and Emgepron, an independent Brazilian state company linked to the Ministry of Defense through the Brazilian Navy Command, signed a contract for building the Tamandaré-class newbuilds in Rio de Janeiro.

The Tamandaré-class ships are planned for delivery between 2025 and 2028. According to Brazilian Navy specifications, the corvettes will measure 107,2 meters in length and will displace 3,455 tons.

thyssenkrupp Marine Systems will supply the naval technology of its Meko class shipbuilding platform. Embraer will integrate sensors and weaponry into the combat system, while Atech, an Embraer Group company, will be the supplier of the combat management system (CMS) and integrated platform management system (IPMS), and the recipient of technology transfer in cooperation with Atlas Elektronik, a thyssenkrupp Marine Systems subsidiary that produces the CMS and sonar systems.

In addition to construction, the contract includes a sustained transfer of technology in naval engineering for building military ships and combat and platform management systems, as well as integrated logistical support and lifecycle management.