ONEX Shipyards & Technologies Group signed an agreement with MAN Energy Solutions SE for twenty sets of main propulsion engines to be installed on the first Robert Allan designed RAstar 2800 tugs.
The order includes the supply of a total of 40 propulsion engines, as each set consists of 2 MAN 16V175D-MM engines, with a power of 2560kW at 1800rpm and the necessary auxiliary systems, with an option for an additional 20 sets of main propulsion engines (total of 80).
The tugboats will be built at ONEX shipyards in Elefsina and Syros, following the Group’s strategic agreement with the world’s largest tugboat design company, the Canadian Robert Allan, where ONEX Group acquired the exclusive rights to build up to 40 tugboats within the next five years, offering integrated solutions for the modernization of the fleet of these valuable vessels in Greece and abroad. The order is estimated at tens of millions of euros, while the total value of the production line for the five years is estimated at over 380 million euros.
At the same time, the two Groups are developing a plan to further strengthen their cooperation through the support of MAN engines, within the framework of the ONEX Group’s strategy, aiming to create an expanded industrial ecosystem in the Mediterranean region.
By signing this agreement, ONEX and MAN Energy Solutions SE Groups contribute to the development of the shipping industry in the country, bringing innovative technologies and modern shipbuilding systems, aiming at the transition to a carbon-neutral future.
Panos Xenokostas, President and CEO of ONEX Shipyards & Technologies Group and President of the Association of Hellenic Shipyards, stated about the signing of the agreement: “A national plan of years completes another important stage of implementation. Our strategic cooperation with a leading engine manufacturer, such as MAN, adds significant competitive advantages to the new RAstar 2800 tug series. Our goal is to provide unique operational features that will cover even the most demanding operating conditions, through sustainable environmental harmonization capabilities, ensuring the safety of people and the environment. ONEX tugs are a solution to upgrade the country’s ports and further strengthen the overall package of infrastructure provided to their domestic and international customers. Greece’s political choice to move forward in this sector meets the domestic development of capabilities with the Greek worker as a major protagonist and major beneficiaries, the domestic economy and society. We are moving forward with the regeneration and transformation of an industry, through superior infrastructure, in the shipbuilding, energy, defense and supply sectors.
As the Managing Director of MAN Energy Solutions Greece, Balkans and Cyprus, Mr. Christodoulopoulos Dionysios, characteristically stated: “Since 2018, MAN has recognized in ONEX the potential that is emerging not only in the repair but also in the construction activity of Greek shipyards. “Today’s agreement is the result of mutual trust and belief that such collaborations can play a catalytic role in the revival of the shipbuilding industry in Greece. This is no longer a plan “on paper”, but a real project whose results we will very soon see sailing in Greek – and not only – seas.”
