Rodman will be the third European shipyard controlled by Chinese

The liking for luxury yachts and the crisis of shipbuilders make easier the entrance of Asian magnates

The biggest shipyards of the world are in Asia, but when they want to purchase yachts and luxury vessels, big fortunes prefer to go shopping to Europe. This interest of magnates for sail boating ant the bankruptcy situation of many shipbuilders due to the crisis, have caused that some of the biggest brands of the sector, as the Italian Ferreti or the British Weichai have gone to Chinese hands in last two years.
Next business deal is the purchase of Rodman by the Chineses company Sonangol property of the magnate Sam Pa.
According sector's sources the Asian demand increase. The foresee is that in the next 10 years the nowadays 1.500 Chinese ship-owners turn into 100.000 new keens on boating, with a turnover of more than 16.000 million Dolars.
Business deal
Why China Sonangol buys Rodman's group?
First, the Galician shipbuilder has very modern installations, possibly the best of Europe. Some sources assure that the first idea of Sam Pa, president of the oil company, is to build in Metalships flatboats equipped with generators to rent to African countries.
Metalships can also be useful to China Sonangol to build tugboats, supply and off shore vessels for the oil industry. Rodman Polyships would be on charge of building patrol boats and catamarans and small fishing boats for Indonesia.
(Source: La Voz de Galicia)