The biggest drydock in the Mediterranean is now fully operational, as drydock No. 10 in Marseille, operated by Chantier Naval de Marseille (CNdM), will welcome a number of cruise ships in the fourth quarter, starting on Monday, Oct. 30 with the arrival of an MSC Cruises vessel.
That will be followed by two Costa ships which are docking for schedule maintenance in November and December, respectively.
Of note, Costa owns a 33.3 percent share in the facility.
The drydock facility is some 485 meters in length and 85 meters wide, according to a statement.
“It is of great satisfaction for our Company to see Forme 10 finally fully operational as we have always believed in the great potential of this facility. The availability of Forme 10 marks a turning point in the operations of Chantier Naval de Marseille, which now has all it takes to become the point of reference in the Mediterranean area for ship repair, maintenance and conversion.” said Ferdinando Garrè, CEO of San Giorgio del Porto, parent company of CNdM. “This was made possible thanks to a series of investments that aimed at expanding our business to new market segments and, subsequently, at increasing the efficiency of the shipyard with the best available technologies. In this respect, the partnership with Costa Crociere played a crucial role. Moreover, the investment will benefit both direct employment and the entire supply chain.”
“The new opening of Drydock no. 10 and the arrival of the first vessel is a major event for Chantier Naval de Marseille and for all its staff. With this new facility, Chantier Naval de Marseille can provide his customers not only with a new dry dock for the busiest period (October to March), but also with a dock which, with its unique size, allows us to accommodate other type of vessels and to position ourselves in a high-potential business segment, such as LNG and offshore, to realise more complex projects” declared Jacques Hardelay CEO of Chantier Navale de Marseille. “This outcome is the result of the work of CNdM’s staff in close collaboration with the Grand Port Maritime de Marseille and a constant support of all the local stakeholders.”
