German technology group Rheinmetall and shipping giant MSC have agreed to jointly acquire the Mangalia shipyard on Romania’s Black Sea coast.
The partners won the auction for the facility with a bid of approximately €138 million, with completion of the transaction expected in the coming weeks.
The shipyard is located south of Constanța and is set to be developed as a dual-use facility, capable of handling both commercial and naval shipbuilding projects.
The site is expected to be divided into separate production and secured areas, allowing different types of work to be carried out simultaneously.
Rheinmetall has already announced plans for a major modernisation of the shipyard, including upgrades to existing infrastructure, improved production conditions and increased capacity.
The company sees Mangalia as a potentially important future hub for its naval shipbuilding activities in South-Eastern Europe.
One of the first major programmes is expected to involve four vessels for the Romanian Navy.
The project includes two 96-metre Offshore Patrol Vessels and two 43-metre Diver Support Vessels.
At the same time, MSC will be able to use the facility’s capabilities for commercial shipbuilding and other maritime projects.
Mangalia is therefore expected to serve both the commercial and defence markets, supporting Romanian as well as international orders.
The Mangalia shipyard was previously considered one of the largest shipbuilding facilities in the region, but in recent years it has faced serious financial difficulties and insolvency proceedings.
The auction for the shipyard assets was held on 9 October 2026. Rheinmetall Real Estate România emerged as the successful bidder, while Rheinmetall later officially confirmed MSC’s participation in the joint project.
According to Romanian reports, the approximately 80-hectare land plot on which the shipyard is located was not included in the asset sale and remains under state ownership.
Rheinmetall plans to transform the site into a scalable industrial hub that could also support future naval programmes in the Black Sea and across South-Eastern Europe.
For MSC, participation in the project provides access to major shipbuilding and repair infrastructure on the Black Sea, while Rheinmetall gains a production base for existing and future naval contracts.
The joint acquisition of Mangalia brings together one of the world’s largest shipping companies and a major European defence group at a single shipbuilding site, giving the Romanian yard a new role as a centre for both commercial and naval construction.
