Kvaerner sells Kleven

Kvaerner has sold the Kleven yard in Norway back to a consortium headed by the original family for NKr48.5million ($6.15 million). The sale excludes $20 million proceeds from two newbuildings that will be delivered at the end of July, leaving one anchor handling tug on the orderbook.

Martin Saaringkangas is leading a Finnish consortium that is looking to buy Masa-Yards from Kvaerner. The two Finnish shipyards (Turku and Helsinki) have nine cruise ships on the orderbooks.

Both GEC Marconi Marine and Swan Hunter are in talks with Kvaerner over the sale of the Govan. The Clydeside yard will be down to 500 workers by the end of August and GEC Marconi Marine has defence work which could be diverted to Govern.

Kvaerner says it is in talks with interested parties over the sale of the Philadelphia yard. Work on upgrading the yard continues and the US authorities are happy with the progress.

However, Kvaerner says the talks with EU competition commissioner Karel van Miert over the possible repayment of yard subsidies paid to Warnow have been rather negative.