German Federal Council President visits general contractor for the F126 naval armaments project

Manuela Schwesig, Minister President of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, visited the Dutch naval shipyard Damen Naval in Vlissingen on 11 March 2024 as part of a delegation trip by the German Federal Council. She was informed about the maritime industry in the Netherlands and German-Dutch cooperation in the field of shipbuilding and defence technology.

Photo: Damen Naval

She paid particular attention to the F 126 project. The Peene shipyard in Wolgast, one of the three shipyards where the future German Navy frigates will be built, is located in her federal state. According to Damen Naval's press release, Mrs Schwesig was very interested in everything she saw in Vlissingen. "We are delighted about the close cooperation between Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding and the Lürssen Group on the construction of the new frigates for the German Navy. This order will secure important industrial jobs at the Peene shipyard in Wolgast over the next few years. We have an interest in further expanding the cooperation between Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and the Netherlands in the maritime sector in the coming years."

The Dutch shipyard was particularly keen to give Mrs Schwesig a look behind the scenes. The aim was to show the visitor what happened between the award of the contract to build the four F126 frigates in June 2020 and the firing of the first frigate in December 2023. And what all had to happen so that the aft ships to be built in Wolgast could become a finished multi-mission platform, which the F126 frigate is to be. Even if Damen, as the general contractor, wants to realise the lion's share of the added value in Germany, i.e. that German subcontractors will be involved, the threads for order management and project control will come together in Vlissingen.

Photo: Damen Naval

The visit to Vlissingen can be regarded as an exceptional event in that it is the first time that a President of the Federal Council has visited a naval shipyard, especially abroad.

In her capacity as Minister President, Schwesig will be accompanied by a business delegation from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which, according to the Schwerin state government, is particularly keen to establish new contacts in the areas of the maritime economy, ports, the circular economy and the bioeconomy.