STX Offshore & Shipbuilding will mount a third attempt to sell of its French subsidiary as early as next week.
STX France controls Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire and Leroux Naval in Lorient and has a history of cruiseship construction.
The South Korean shipbuilder is going through a huge restructuring and is selling off non-core assets. Previous sale attempts of STX France fell through in 2014 and 2015. Last year, fellow Korean yard Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) conducted due diligence on STX France but did not pursue the sale as its own financial difficulties surfaced. As part of its own restructuring DSME is itself now looking for a buyer of its European yard, DSME Mangalia, the largest shipyard in Romania.