Greece’s Salamis shipyards recently delivered five pre-equipped blocks for the construction of French FDI frigates, cementing the military and defense cooperation between Greece and France, as was made public on Tuesday.
The blocks were built entirely in Greece at the shipyard of Salamina island near the capital of Athens.
This massive task was achieved as a result of the provisions of the deep Greek-French cooperation in defense, military, and security issues. There was a comprehensive transfer of crucial military and engineering technology that was provided by Naval Group to Greek engineers and workers who successfully completed the task.
Naval Group is a French industrial company that specializes in naval defense and marine renewable energy. It plays an important role in the French military industry.
The delivery of these blocks is part of a broader scheme. They belong to the FDI HN program, which focuses on the construction of three brand-new frigates for the Greek Navy.
The first frigate was named “HS Kimon” after an admiral in Alexander the Great‘s army who gained fame for his valor in the naval Battle of Salamis in 480 BC. This one was actually launched in October 2023 and is currently undergoing harbor trials before the next stages of production. The frigate is expected to be operational for the Greek Navy by 2025.
The second frigate was named “HS Nearchos,” an admiral in the Athenian army before and during the Peloponnesian War. This one is expected to be launched later this year if everything goes according to plan. Finally, the keel laying ceremony for the third frigate, “HS Formion,” was held recently. Formion took its name from an admiral and commander of ancient Athens.
The blocks that were delivered by Salamis Shipyards are now set to be assembled in Lorient, France, where the next phase of the production is expected to take place.
This development shows the significance of the latest defense purchases of the Greek government for the Greek shipbuilding industry, which has been undergoing a slow revival recently. This comes after hardships during the financial crisis years.
Shipyards across Greece, such as the historic Neorion Shipyard on the island of Syros and the Shipyard of Elefsina, have been actively repairing and building ships for both domestic and international clients lately.
The resurgence of the Greek shipbuilding industry is expected to have a positive impact on the country’s economy as well.
Greece and France remain the closest allies
Greece and France remain close partners within the frameworks of both NATO and the EU. French President Emmanuel Macron has said in the past that the Greece-France strategic partnership agreement that was signed in 2021 is a strong bulwark against any kind of challenge in the wider Mediterranean region.
During a meeting that Macron had held with Greek Premier Kyriakos Mitsotakis in late 2022 in Paris, it was said that “the cooperation between the two countries comes from afar—and goes a long way ahead.”
Both governments and the peoples of Greece and France have a long-lasting relationship of mutual respect and affection that goes back to the beginnings of the Greek Revolution in the 19th century.
