Rheinmetall to build four military vessels for Romania

Germany’s Rheinmetall is to build four new military vessels for Romania as part of efforts to strengthen security in the Black Sea, Romania’s acting defence minister has said.

Radu Miruță said the vessels would be built at the Mangalia shipyard using new technologies, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

“Romania’s army will not allow the Black Sea to become a vulnerable area for Romania, the European Union or NATO,” Miruță told reporters.

He said the project was being developed by the Romanian Defence Ministry and that construction of the four vessels was linked to other contracts with Rheinmetall for weapons and military equipment.

The Mangalia shipyard was previously put up for sale by Romanian authorities after accumulating €196 million in debt.

Rheinmetall and shipping company MSC had expressed interest in the shipyard, which is expected to be used for both military and civilian shipbuilding.

By Aghakazim Guliyev