On August 18, 2025, Salamis Shipyards delivered a new series of pre-outfitted sections for a third FDI frigate, this time for the French Navy’s second vessel, Amiral Castex.
Salamis Shipyards Press Release (translation from Greek)
On August 18, 2025, the Salamis Shipyards successfully completed and delivered a new series of pre-outfitted sections (blocks) of the third (and sixth in the production series) French Navy defence and intervention frigate (FDI), further strengthening its strategic partnership with Naval Group and reaffirming its reliability in projects of high technical complexity and cutting-edge technologies. These blocks were constructed at the Salamis Shipyards in Salamis, Greece, and are already en route from Greece to the Naval Group’s shipyard in Lorient, France, where they will undergo the next steps in the frigate’s construction.
The four (4) blocks delivered for Admiral Castex are part of the broader cooperation program with Naval Group, in which Salamis Shipyards participates as a key industrial partner, undertaking the construction of pre-outfitted sections for the FDI frigate program being built both for Greece and for France. The participation of Salamis Shipyards in the FDI program marks a turning point for the Greek naval defense industry as a whole, since it is the first time in history that a Greek shipyard has contributed to the construction of a state-of-the-art warship for the naval fleet of another country.
This partnership with Naval Group, which has been steadily expanding since its signing in 2022, involves the participation of the shipyards in the construction of the FDI frigates, both for the Hellenic Navy and the French Navy. Specifically, it covers the production of pre-equipped hull and superstructure sections (blocks) for up to six (6) FDI frigates in total. As early as February 2024, the Salamis Shipyards had already delivered the five pre-equipped blocks of the third Hellenic Navy FDI frigate Formion, which has since been launched and entered its final construction stages. Similarly, by July 2024, the corresponding blocks for the second French FDI frigate Admiral Louzeau under construction in Lorient were also delivered.
In addition, Salamis Shipyards recently expanded their cooperation with Naval Group by signing a six-year contract covering Follow-On Support (FOS) for the FDI frigates. This agreement provides technical support for both the Hellenic and French FDI frigates, with the option to extend to additional services involving complex logistics, in-service operations, and any future upgrades or modifications that may be required. The President of Salamis Shipyards, Dr. Georgios Koros, stated:
Our ongoing partnership with Naval Group demonstrates that Greece can stand at the forefront of naval defense shipbuilding. We work with consistency, precision, and a strong sense of responsibility, both towards our international partners and towards our country, so that the role of the domestic industry is steadily reinforced in critical sectors for national security and technological self-reliance.
Dr. George Koros, CEO of Salamis Shipyards
The combination of Salamis Shipyards’ longstanding knowledge and experience in demanding and specialized projects, together with the expertise transferred to Greece by Naval Group for a high-technology and high-complexity program, unprecedented in Greece, has now firmly established specialized skills and capabilities, along with the necessary certifications that Salamis Shipyards now possess.
With a history spanning more than four decades, Salamis Shipyards stand as one of the most stable and reliable pillars of the Greek shipbuilding and defense industry. Equipped with modern facilities, highly skilled personnel, and continuous compliance with European and NATO standards, the shipyards have the capacity to successfully deliver projects of great complexity, not only in the military but also in the commercial sector. Their participation in the FDI program serves as a clear testament to domestic expertise and to Greece’s ability to actively contribute to international defense programs, supported by a strong industrial base and an increasingly outward-looking export potential.
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Salamis Shipyards and the FDI legacy
It is worth noting that Greece has never before undertaken the construction of a warship component for a foreign nation, just as France, through Naval Group, has never previously entrusted the manufacturing of its military equipment to a foreign shipyard. It is a rare occurrence for a global shipbuilding leader to transfer such expertise beyond its borders. The FDI frigates that Salamis Shipyards are building for Naval Group embody exceptionally advanced technology, and the transfer of this know-how, specialized skills, and certified capabilities from France to Greece carries profound significance.
Through the FDI frigate program, as well as other initiatives such as the reactivation and modernization of the Island-class patrol vessels, Salamis Shipyards are emerging as a cornerstone of the Franco-Hellenic strategic partnership and a driving force in the revival of Greece’s shipbuilding sector. At the same time, the shipyard is implementing a major investment program designed to substantially enhance and expand its production capabilities. These investments ensure that Salamis Shipyards remain at the forefront of shipbuilding innovation, enabling the company to undertake projects of even greater complexity and strategic value, including the development of fully integrated vessels for both defense and commercial applications.
