Aker Yads has confirmed that STX has acquired more shares in the Norwegian shipbuilding company, bringing its ownership up from 39.2 percent to 47.15 percent, triggering a mandatory offer for all remaining Aker Yards shares.

Aker is one of the three major cruise-ship builders in the world with yards in Finland and France, specializing in cruise ships, and with orders from Royal Caribbean Cruises, MSC Cruises and NCL.

Korean STX will be the fourth owner of the shipbuilding company over the past 20 years.

STX has said that it will continue to build cruise ships in Finland and France. However, the French may have had their misgivings, and a little advance information it seems, since STX has already agreed to sell a 34 percent interest in the two Aker yards in France to the French government.