{"id":59471,"date":"2020-05-15T12:46:43","date_gmt":"2020-05-15T12:46:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2020\/05\/15\/german-shipyard-shuffle-clears-path-for-mks-180-warship-program-to-proceed\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T12:24:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T12:24:18","slug":"german-shipyard-shuffle-clears-path-for-mks-180-warship-program-to-proceed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/europe\/2020\/05\/15\/german-shipyard-shuffle-clears-path-for-mks-180-warship-program-to-proceed\/","title":{"rendered":"German shipyard shuffle clears path for MKS 180 warship program to proceed"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

COLOGNE, Germany \u2014 An agreement by two German shipyards to merge has dislodged a major legal roadblock in the multibillion-dollar program to build the Navy\u2019s MKS 180 large frigate-type warships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Defence Ministry\u2019s confirmation on Friday that German Naval Yards Kiel had dropped its protest against Dutch shipbuilder Damen, who was announced as the winner of the contract in January, was the final building block in a turbulent week for the European naval industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Days prior, the German shipbuilder said it would merge with Bremen-based L\u00fcrssen, giving the latter company the lead in building surface combatants together. L\u00fcrssen, for its part, is already part of the MKS 180 team as a subcontractor to Damen, and the Dutch said they would lean heavily on their German partner in building four initial vessels under the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier this year, German Naval Yards Kiel lamented an unfair evaluation of its MKS 180 bid by the Defence Ministry, announcing it was prepared for a potentially lengthy legal battle. But just as litigious as the company sounded in its public proclamations, industry insiders said there appeared to be a willingness early on by all companies to come to an agreement outside of duking it out in court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Damen, meanwhile, is expected to rethink the distribution of its MKS 180 workshare plan now that the former competitor is also onboard, albeit only by extension. Considerations to that effect would be a \u201clogical next step,\u201d one company official said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are pleased with the consolidation of the German shipping industry under the leadership of the Bremer L\u00fcrssen Group,\u201d a Damen statement read. \u201cWe look forward to intensive cooperation in the future. As Damen, we see this consolidation as a positive development.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t