According to the ‘Times of Malta’, MSC Cruises is planning to buy a 50% stake in Malta Palumbo Shipyard.
The plans were announced in a notification by the Maltese Office for Competition in terms of the Control of Concentrations Regulations law.
Palumbo took over the former Malta Shipyards 10 years ago when it was granted a 30-year concession by the Maltese government.
This strategy would follow Carnival Corp’s and Royal Caribbean’s joint ownership of the Grand Bahama Shipyard, which virtually guarantees large cruise ship drydocking slots when needed.
Palumbo has expanded into the cruise market, as its Viktor Lenac shipyard recently undertook repair work on Pullmantur’s ‘Zenith’ afloat and on the ‘Marella Dream’ in drydock.
Palumbo Group acquired Croatia’s Viktor Lenac Shipyard, based near Rijeka, in late 2018 and now owns repair yards in Naples, Ancona, Messina, Savona, Marseilles and Tenerife in addition to Malta.
The Maltese repair yard is equipped with a 362 m x 62 m graving dock, which has handled large cruise ships.
