Fincantieri teams with Yucatán state for new Progreso shipyard

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The contract was signed virtually by parties including Giorgio Rizzo, director of the Fincantieri Services Division
Fincantieri signed a letter of intent with Mexico's Yucatán state to participate in the design and construction of a new ship repair, conversion and maintenance yard in Progreso.

The facility will be located within the expanded and modernized port, approximately 35 kilometers/22 miles from the state capital, Mérida. There, a new area will be entirely dedicated to industrial activities.

40-year management concession

Fincantieri will be granted a 40-year concession for the exclusive management of the new yard.

The agreement was signed remotely on Tuesday by Yucatán Minister of Economic Development and Labor Ernesto Herrero Novelo, and Director of the Fincantieri Services Division Giorgio Rizzo in the presence, respectively, of Yucatán Gov. Mauricio Vila Dosal and Fincantieri GM Fabio Gallia.

Largest masonry drydocks in the Americas

The project envisages two masonry drydocks, the largest in the Americas, able to handle ships up to 400 meters/1,312 feet, particularly cruise ships, large cargo ships and oil and gas carriers. The yard will also have a lifting platform for units up to 150 meters/492 feet, about 1,000 meters/3,281 feet of docks, plus cranes, workshops, special equipment, offices and warehouses.

Yucatán state will initiate the creation of the yard in the first half of 2021, in phases, with completion planned for 2027. The government will directly manage initial works through a special purpose company to handle the dredging and construction of the infrastructures and main plants.

Advice and training

Fincantieri is to provide advice from the beginning and at a later stage to carry out work involving other partners related to workshops and lifting equipment, installing equipment and, finally, commissioning activities. This will include training, both locally and in Italy at higher education institutes and at Fincantieri Academy.

700 full-time jobs and up to 2,500 at peak times

Once the shipyard reaches full operational capacity, it will be able to support an estimated 700 full-time jobs, and supply a downstream network involving up to 2,500 workers during peak times.

Mexico exports close to $400bn of goods annually, with imports of around $350bn. Sea shipments account for a considerable volume of imports and exports.

The Yucatán region also supports significant cruise traffic.

The new Progreso shipyard will be strategically placed to serve the area's merchant operators, benefiting from the nearby Yucatán navigation channel, a natural outlet to the Atlantic Ocean. The Gulf of Mexico also has a strong concentration of oil and gas-related operations, including offshore exploration, production and storage of oil and natural gas.