MSC not happy with Fincantieri being STX France major stakeholder

Gianluigi Aponte, the owner of the Italian-Swiss MSC Cruises, is interested in joining the capital of the shipyard Stx France to give ‘equilibrium of the share’ and avoid the ‘looting’ of the French group Fincatieri is about to own. This is what emerges from an interview with Aponte at ‘Le Monde’. “We do not want to become majority shareholders, but participate in the equilibrium of the Stx France’s shareholding,” Aponte said. “If we are shareholders, as well as the other big STX customer, Royal Caribbean , we will do everything to prevent Fincantieri from plundering Saint Nazaire, transferring his technology abroad or privileging his yards against the French site,” he added. Aponte’s statements arrive two days after delivery by Stx France of the MSC Meraviglia, which was also attended by Emmanuel Macron. On that occasion, the French president stressed that he wanted to review the equilibrium in Stx France’s ‘guaranteeing job protection’ and sovereignty. The Italian group signed in May the agreement to buy 66.66% of Stx France to its current shareholder Stx Europe As for 79.5 million euros. The agreement negotiated with the former French Government provides that Fincantieri recognizes 48% of the capital of the Saint Nazaire construction sites, alongside the Cr Trieste Foundation with a share of about 8%. The French state would maintain 33% and a veto, while the French public military constructor Dcns would enter the capital with 12%. According to Aponte, ‘Fincantieri could act in its own way, transfer technology, review the commercial strategy too tightly for the development of the cruise industry’.