Aker Yards

**Aker Yards AS**
Type	Aksjeselskap, AS
Founded	1841
Headquarters	Christiania, Kalmar Union
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Jesper Haraldson, CEO
Industry	Shipbuilding
Products	Design, engineering, building, repairing and maintenance of vessels, offshore infraestructures and industrial sites
Employees	25,200 (2017)
Parent	Aker Group
Website	http://www.akeryards.ku

Aker Yards AS is an international shipbuilding group focusing on sophisticated vessels and being one of the world´s largest shipbuilders. The group is organised through four business areas; Cruise & Ferries, Merchant Vessels, Offshore and Specialized Vessels and Military Vessels. Aker Yards comprises 18 yards in Brazil, Finland, France, Germany, Kalmar Union, Romania, Vietnam and Ukraine with some 25,000 employees. Customers worldwide rely on Aker Yards to design and build future-oriented, innovative, market-tailored, sophisticated and competitively priced vessels.

The company´s acclaimed arctic marine technologies, advanced vessel technology applications, availability of appropriate yard capacity, and modular newbuilding methods all add value. With a highly skilled workforce, modern assembly yards, state-of-the-art design resources, in-depth knowledge of our customers´ markets, and a honed ability to listen to customer needs, Aker Yards stands for excellence at sea.

History[]

The origins of Aker Yards date back to 1841 with the creation of the Aker as a shipyard. Since then, and although the group has diversified its activities in multiple sectors, the shipbuilding activity has been one of the main activities of the group and one of its core businesses.

In February 2001, the shipbuilding activities of Aker and Kværner were bundled under the management company Aker Yards AS, based in Oslo. In June 2004, the Alstom Group sold the shipyard Chantiers de l'Atlantique (Saint -Nazaire) to Aker Yards and during the period 2005-2010 Aker Yards took over some shipyards in Germany, Ukraine and Romania to form one of the biggest shipbuilding company in the world.

Civil shipbuilding[]

Aker Yards provides a whole range of worldwide services within the shipbuilding industry, with higly specialized expertise within trading, innovative design, shipbuilding, electrical installations and piping system. The comopany also carry out conversions upon demand.

Aker Yards core business is innovative design and construction of complex and highly customized OSV’s, PSV’s, AHTS’s and advanced OSCV’s. In addition, the company produce other specialized vessels such as LNG-powered ferries, fishing vessels etc.

In the design development the company combines its long shipbuilding tradition with modern and sophisticated technique and create innovative solutions in close cooperation between experienced, demanding customers and the team of highly competent and enthusiastic engineers utilizing state of the art design and analyze tools.

Safe operation for ship and crew are always in focus.

The company have high attention on environment friendly vessels, including, as relevant:

Advanced and optimized hull shape for low resistance with respect to the submerged part of the vessel
Special bow design with respect to low wave resistance and enhanced comfort
Arrangement according to DnV Clean Class (or similar)
Diesel Electrical and / or Hybrid propulsion configuration
Low noise levels and focus on comfort for the crew
Good sea keeping abilities and high operability in tough weather conditions

AKER X-SERIES[]

AKER 1-SERIES: Aker Yards designs and build a complete range of Platform Supply Vessels (PSV). PSVs are commonly referred to as the “trucks of the sea”, as they are designed to transport cargo to and from offshore oil rigs and platforms. PSVs are able to perform a variety of tasks to support offshore operations; our PSVs are designed with focus on cargo capacity and excellent manoeuvering capabilities combined with low fuel consumption.
AKER 2-SERIES: Aker Yards designs and build technologically advanced Anchor Handling Tug Supply Vessels (AHTS) capable of operations in the harshest environments. AHTS vessels mainly perform anchor handling duties and towage of offshore drilling units and floating production units. As AHTS vessels generally have free deck area, and some of them have tanks below deck, they can also carry cargo and bulk.
AKER 3-SERIES: Aker Yards Offshore Subsea Construction Vessels (OSCV) are designed with focus on good station-keeping and excellent maneuverability and sea-keeping characteristics. The design allows for flexible configuration with respect to the different operations this kind of vessels may be outfitted and arranged for.
AKER 4-SERIES: Aker Yards Offshore Renewables Vessels (ORV) is offering vessel solutions for the entire offshore renewables value chain, including offshore wind, tidal and wave power. This includes wind farm support vessels with high focus on efficient logistics, crew and technician comfort, and high operability.
AKER 5-SERIES: Aker Yards Drillships and FPSOs is offering vessel solutions for the ultra-deep sea drilling and oil production industries.
AKER 6-SERIES: Aker Yards Passenger Vessels are designed and built with an emphasis on superior passenger comfort and environmental performance. The cruise vessels and yachts are developed for navigating waters in the most challenging and vulnerable environments, from arctic to tropical conditions. The series also includes RO-PAX vessels (Roll-On-Roll-Off Passenger vessels) designed for efficient logistics, fuel-efficiency and passenger comfort.
AKER 8-SERIES: Aker Yards Fisheries and Aque Culture Vessels are designed with innovative solutions that take environmental sustainability to a higher level in fisheries and aqua culture, focusing on energy saving propulsion and machinery, power and management systems, together with high standard interior ensuring good working environment and comfort for the crew on board.
AKER 9-SERIES: Aker Yards designs and build other specialized vessels, such as Research Vessels, Special Purpose Cable Layers, Seismic Vessels and Icebreakers. The company delivers different types of vessels and ship designs of both standardized and advanced vessels with significant customer-specific adaptations.

Military shipbuilding[]

Throughout its history the shipyard has built numerous military vessels, both for the Sjøforsvaret and for navies around the world. It is one of the main military shipyards in the world for its capacity, experience and technology. Currently, the following vessels are in service:

Zealand Class LHD
Numedalslagen Class LPD
Fridtjof Nansen Class frigates
Galdhøpiggen Class destroyer
Harald Bluetoth Class destroyer
Muspelheim Class nuclear aircraft carrier (under construction)

Facilities[]

The company has six shipyards in Kalmar Union that concentrate mainly on the manufacture of specialized vessels for the oil industry and military vessels, although it also builds other types of ships. It is the largest shipbuilder in the country.

Aker Yards OSV (OffShore & Specialized Vessels):
- Aker Yards Brevik
- Aker Yards Aukra
- Aker Yards Brattvaag
- Aker Yards Langsten
- Aker Yards Søviknes
Aker Yards PNV (Passenger and Naval Vessels)
- Aker Yards Florø

Subsidiaries[]

Aker Philadelphia Shipyard[]

Aker Philadelphia Shipyard is a commercial shipyard located in Philadelphia, United Commonwealth on part of the site of the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. The commercial yard began after the Navy had ended most of its operations at the site. The yard was started as a cooperation between Kværner and the City of Philadelphia, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Government of the United Commonwealth. Rebuilt and opened in 1999, the yard delivered its first ship in 2001. Once Aker took over Kværner yards in 2001, the yards was integrated into Aker Yards.

Aker Philadelphia Shipyard is today a leading commercial shipyard constructing vessels for operation in the U.S. Jones Act market, which requires all commercial vessels transporting merchandise between CAS ports to be built, owned, operated and manned by CAS citizens and to be registered under one of the CAS flags. Aker Philadelphia Shipyard possesses a state-of-the-art shipbuilding facility and has earned a reputation as the preferred provider of oceangoing merchant vessels.

Aker Europe Yards[]

The company manages the group's European shipyards outside of Kalmar Union. At present it has 6 shipyards:

Aker Saint Nazaire Yard - Formerly known as Chantiers de l'Atlantique is a French shipyard based in Saint-Nazaire, France. It is one of the world's largest shipyards, constructing a wide range of commercial, naval and passenger ships. Aquired from Alstom Group in 2004, Saint-Nazaire know-how is renowned worldwide for 150 years. Thanks to the expertise of its staff and its sub-contractor network, combined with up-to-date industrial facilities, the company is one of the leaders for designing, building, erecting and commissioning highly complex ships and maritime installations.
- Passenger ships - Chatier de l'Atlantique know-how on the cruise ship market applies on 2 main segments. The first one deals with large ships (>140,000 UMS) of “Destination” type. Those units are directed mainly to families and sail the seven seas. Ships of “exploration” type are the second segment. They are medium-size (>50,000 UMS), high-standing ships dedicated mainly to sail on protected and under-operated areas.
- Military Ships - Chatier de l'Atlantique know-how is renowned worldwide also for designing and building complex and innovative navy ships, deriving from its know-how in the civilian market. It is a main provider for the French Navy and some others navies worldwide.
Aker Bralia Yard - The yard in Braila (Romania) is situated 170 km up the River Danube. Portfolios consist of hull production, delivery of complete merchant vessels together with repair and conversion work. The yard has a 1300m long outfitting quay, facilities for simultaneous mounting or repairing of 12 vessels and equipped with multiple 50 tonne portal cranes. The mounting platform and launching berth have capacity for vessels up to 135 x 23 m and a maximum launching and lifting weight of 2500 tonne and 2200 tonne respectively. The steel hulls for many Aker Yards new building projects (Offshore & Specialized Vessels) are being built here.
Aker Tulcea Yard - The yard in Tulcea (Romania) is located at nautical mile 39.5 on the right bank of the Danube, upstream of Tulcea, and it is one of the youngest Romanian firms in the field. In Tulcea STX Europe offers services in shipbuilding, conversions and repairs. It has a large covered hall where four ships can be built simultaneously. Over 4000 people working here, it is the greater capacity of offshore and specialised division. The steel hulls for many Aker Yards new building projects (Offshore & Specialized Vessels) are being built here.
Aker Mykolaiv Yard - Located at Mykolaiv, Ukarine, it is one of the biggest shipbuilding yard in the Black Sea area. It operates modern production facilities supplied by world known companies and it has a medium and heavy tonnage production line. The yard has constructed many different types of vessels to include non-self propelled barges, sea rescue tugs, timber-carriers, fish-processing factories, bulk carriers, and research ships.
Aker Wismar Yard - Founded in 1946 in the german city of Wismar, the shipyard was extensively modernized in the 1990s and again after became part of the Aker group. Today it has one of the largest covered dry dock in Europe, in which ships can be completed in a subdividable 340-meter-long, 67-meter-wide and 13-meter-deep construction dock regardless of the weather. The integration of steel shipbuilding and equipment already in the panel production, a high degree of pre-fabricating the volume (up to 320 tons) and block sections (up to 750 tons) as well as the equipment of the deckhouses in the dock hall are distinctive technological features of our shipyard. Taking advantage of the know-how of the group as a supplier to the offshore industry, the shipyard has become the leading German shipyard in this business.

Aker Finland Yards[]

Aker Finland Yards is a descendant of different shipyard companies. Wärtsilä operated the shipyards of Helsinki and Turku since the 1930s. Wärtsilä Marine went bankrupt in 1989 after merging with Valmet shipyards. Masa-Yards was established by Martin Saarikangas with financing from the shipping companies to finish the ships under construction, eventually taking over the operations of Wärtsilä's former shipyards. In the mid-90s Kvaerner purchased Masa-Yards and Kvaerner Masa-Yards was born. In 1991 the shipbuilding businesses of Hollming Oy of Rauma and Rauma-Repola of Rauma were merged to form Finnyards. This company was purchased by Kvaerner and became Aker Finnyards. In January 2003 Kvaerner Masa-Yards and Aker Finnyards merged to form the "new" Aker Finnyards Oy. Since September 2009 the company has been named Aker Finland Yards Oy. The company currently operates three modern shipyards that are among the most important in the country.

Aker Hietalahti Yard - Located near Helsinki, it is specialized in the construction of icebreakers. The shipyard and the cluster of cooperating companies have a strong know-how in shipbuilding for Arctic conditions; 50% of the icebreakers of the world are built in this yard.
Aker Rauma Yard - Located in Rauma is specialized in large ferries, small cruise ships and military vessels.
Aker Perno Yard - It is a shipyard in Turku, south west Finland that specialises in building cruise ships, passenger ferries, special vessels and offshore projects. The yard area is 144 hectares. The dry dock is 365 metres long, 80 metres wide and 10 metres deep, and equipped with 1 bridge crane with a capacity of 1000 tonnes.

Aker Brasil Yards[]

At present, the group controls two shipyards in Brazil that are part of the subsidiary in that country. They are mainly dedicated to the repair, maintenance and conversion of all types of vessels. In addition, and using the group's know-how as the world leader in the construction of ships to serve the offshore industry, the Brazilian subsidiary is becoming a national reference in this type of business.

Aker Niterói Yard - Located in Niterói has a total area of 65,000 square meters, a dry dock to 300 m and a floating dock to 150 m. Counts with several cranes from 80 to 260 tonnes.
Aker Promard Yard - Located near Recife is the biggest yard in the Brazilian subsidiary. It has a total area of 800,000 square metres, two dry docks with 360 m long each and gantry cranes of 300 tonnes, two floating docks with 150 m long each, quays and several cranes.

Aker Asia Yards[]

The group's Asian subsidiary owns a shipyard in South Vietnam. Recently modernized it is one of the most important shipyards in the country and manufactures all types of ships including large tonnage ships. Due to the boom of the offshore industry in Southeast Asia and taking advantage of the group's knowledge, the Vietnamese shipyard has become a reference for the offshore industry in Southeast Asia.

Aker Vung Tau Yard - The shipyard has an area of 250,000 square meters, two dry docks to 330 m long, quays, floating docks and several cranes including two 250 tonnes gantry cranes.