Mr. Sébastien Lecornu, French Republic’s Minister of Defense, visited Salamis Shipyards in Greece, where pre‑outfitted blocks for the FDI frigates—among the most advanced warships in the world—are under construction for both the Hellenic and French navies. Through the FDI frigate program, and other programs, such as the reactivation and upgrade of Island-class patrol vessels, Salamis Shipyards are emerging as a key player in the Franco-Hellenic strategic partnership and a driving force in the revitalization of Greece’s shipbuilding industry.
On April 14, 2025, French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu squeezed in a visit to the nearby island of Salamis during his hectic one‑day trip to Athens, Greece—despite back‑to‑back meetings with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Defense Minister Nikos Dendias. There, on the historic island long synonymous with naval warfare, the French Minister
There, on the historic island long synonymous with naval warfare, the French Minister—accompanied by Deputy Minister of National Defense Thanasis Davakis; Her Excellency the Ambassador of the French Republic to Greece Laurence Auer; the French Defense and Armaments Attachés at the Embassy; Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff; Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff; and other dignitaries—visited the island’s namesake, the Salamis Shipyards. These shipyards are rapidly becoming a cornerstone of the deepening strategic partnership between France and Greece, while also playing a pivotal role in revitalizing Greece’s domestic defense industry.
Under the FDI (“Frégates de Défense et d’Intervention”) program, Salamis Shipyards fabricates pre‑outfitted hull blocks for the Hellenic Navy—and, increasingly, for France’s Marine Nationale. This demanding work combines modern facilities and equipment with highly specialized expertise supplied by Naval Group, whose collaboration with Salamis Shipyards began only in October 2022. Yet by April 2025, more than ten blocks—among them those destined for the third Hellenic FDI frigate Formion, slated for launch on June 4, 2025—had already shipped to Naval Group’s Lorient facility.
Crucially, blocks for French FDI frigates have also come from Salamis Shipyards, marking the first time a Greek defense contractor has delivered primary components to a foreign fleet. Furthermore, these blocks, as per Naval Group officials, have achieved a remarkably high percentage of degree of completeness of the pre-equipping of the blocks that reaches 80.4%, among the highest achieved.
Furthermore, the growing importance and long-term importance attached to the Salamis Shipyards by Naval Group is strongly reflected in the recent six-year Follow-on-Support (FOS) agreement that was signed in November 2024 at Euronaval in Paris. It guarantees maintenance support not only for Greece’s expanding FDI fleet—expected to include up to four ships by 2029—but also for French vessels operating across volatile theaters like the Eastern Mediterranean and the Red Sea.
Salamis Shipyards is currently implementing a major investment program that will substantially strengthen and further upgrade its production capabilities, ensuring that it remains at the cutting edge of shipbuilding innovation. These investments aim to support future projects of even greater complexity and strategic importance, as well as fully integrated shipbuilding products (vessels) for both the commercial and defense sectors.
It is a genuine honor for us to welcome the esteemed French Minister of Defense, Mr. Lecornu, to our facilities. His visit highlights the technologically advanced projects undertaken by Salamis Shipyards in the defense sector, as well as the capabilities and role we can play in the development of the National Defense Shipbuilding Industry. The steady trust and highly successful collaboration with leading international firms—most notably our long‑standing partnership with Naval Group—underscore and promote the strategic planning and significant future role of Salamis Shipyards.
Dr. George Koros, CEO of Salamis Shipyards
Lecornu’s visit—and the rapid progress at Salamis Shipyards—underscores how France and Greece are aligning their naval ambitions. With Salamis Shipyards at the forefront, Greece’s long‑dormant shipbuilding sector may be poised for a renaissance, while Franco‑Hellenic maritime cooperation sets a new standard for regional defense collaboration. Salamis—the cradle of ancient naval victory—is charting another historic course, this time toward modern shipbuilding excellence.
