Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has informed the Romanian government of its interest in assuming management and operation of the Damen Mangalia shipyard, following a year of uncertainty.
MSC’s CEO for its shipmanagement division, Prabhat Jha, sent a letter on 20 April 2025 to Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and President Ilie Bolojan. The letter, signed under authority of MSC founder Gianluigi Aponte, states that MSC intends to grow the yard’s activity and hire local personnel, initially bringing in management from abroad to develop local expertise. The company has also reportedly advanced payment for repair work on some vessels to help cover salary obligations.
MSC indicated prospective use of the Mangalia facility for construction of cruise ships, ro‑pax vessels, and tugboats.
The yard—formerly part of Daewoo and Damen—has been in insolvency since June 2024 and continues to face creditor claims totaling around USD 400 million.
The yard resumed repair activities in May, and approximately 800 employees have returned to work, while 114 staff have been notified of redundancy and several hundred remain without paid allowances. Despite renewed activity, financial stability remains elusive.
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) is the world’s largest container shipping operator, with over 900 vessels, presence in more than 155 countries, and over 200,000 employees. MSC also operates cruise ships, port operations, and logistics divisions. Its fleet is one of the world’s largest users of repair docks, conducting over 100 ship repairs annually in the Mediterranean.
Damen Shipyards Mangalia was formed in 2017–18 when Dutch Damen Group acquired Daewoo’s 51 % stake. It operates three dry docks on a 1 million m² site and undertakes large-scale shipbuilding, repairs, and conversions.