Chantiers de l'Atlantique

The Batillus oil tanker at the end of its construction in Saint-Nazaire, being refueled by the Port-Vendres

Chantiers de l'Atlantique, is a shipyard based in Saint-Nazaire, France. It forms part of the STX France SA business unit, majority owned by STX Europe with a 66.6% stake and the balance 33.34% held by the French state.[1][2] It is one of the world's largest shipyards, constructing a wide range of commercial, naval and passenger ships.

The shipyard was owned by Alstom from 1984, and became part of Aker Yards when Aker Group acquired the Alstom Marine business in 2006.[3][4] In 2008, the South Korean company STX Corporation acquired Aker Yards, and the shipyard became part of STX Europe (formed by the renaming of Aker Yards).[5]

Its location near Nantes, France, at the mouth of the Loire and the deep waters of the Atlantic makes sailing large ships in and out easier.

History

The giant superliner RMS Queen Mary 2 under construction
Russian amphibious assault ship Sevastopol awaiting delivery, December 2014

Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire and Ateliers et Chantiers de Saint-Nazaire Penhoët merged in 1955 to form Chantiers de l'Atlantique. The yard started by building ships for the French transatlantic line Compagnie Générale Transatlantique. In 1961, it built the trans-Atlantic superliner SS France, then the world's longest passenger vessel.

After the construction of the last Compagnie Générale Transatlantique liner and the closure of the Suez Canal, the yard began building large tankers, including Batillus, Bellamya, Pierre Guillaumat and Prairial. A new dry dock (Basin C) was built for this purpose and would have allowed the construction of tankers over 1,000,000 tonnes, but it remained unused between the 1970s and the construction of the "Queen Mary 2" in 2003, because of the lack of demand for such large tankers with the re-opening of the Suez Canal.

Chantiers de l'Atlantique delivered the luxury cruise ship, Crystal Serenity of Crystal Cruises in July 2003. The yard built also built the superliner RMS Queen Mary 2 for the Cunard Line in 2003. Near the end of the construction period a gangway to the dry-docked ship collapsed killing 16 people.[6]

Aker Yards and Alstom announced on 4 January 2006 their intention to join forces in shipbuilding and create together one of the world leaders in this industry, focused on high-value-added ships, including world-class cruise ships.[3][4]

Aker ASA sold its interest in the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard to the South Korean company STX Corporation in 2008, and the shipyard became part of STX Europe (formed by the renaming of Aker Yards).[5] The same year, the French government took a 33.34% stake in the shipyard.[1]

Ships built

Ships built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique include:

A plaque inside the Coral Princess

References

  1. 1 2 "2012 Investment Climate Statement - France". June 2012. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  2. "STX Europe". STX Europe. 2009-01-27. Retrieved 2013-10-22.
  3. 1 2 "Aker Yards and Alstom Marine Complete Transaction". Asdnews.com. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Aker Yards and Alstom Marine plan to join forces". Alstom.com. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  5. 1 2 "Aker Yards to be renamed STX Europe". Reuters. 3 September 2008. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  6. "Europe | Inquiry into cruise liner deaths". BBC News. 2003-11-15. Retrieved 2013-10-22.
  7. Documentary on Discovery Knowledge Building of the Queen Mary 2 on YouTube - YT movie deleted because of copyright infringement

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard.

Coordinates: 47°16′59″N 2°11′19″W / 47.2831°N 2.1886°W / 47.2831; -2.1886

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