Domestic
Antsiranana Naval Shipyard Returns to Life
After a long period of turbulence marked by difficulties and uncertainties, the Naval Studies, Construction and Repair Company (Secren) in Antsiranana is turning the page on stagnation. The new leaders of Secren are determined to initiate a fresh start for the company. Change is now visible at the shipyard. The first vessels are once again welcomed at the facility, repair operations are resuming, bookings are multiplying, and infrastructure rehabilitation work is accelerating. With a capital increase of ten billion ariary provided by the State, the company has new support. This financial effort now places management before a major responsibility: transforming this contribution into visible and lasting results. The task now is to convert this effort into activity, performance, and sustainable outcomes. During a press briefing organized by Secren's new leaders, headed by General Director Félicien Milson, the signal is clear: the company, the region's lifeblood, is no longer at a standstill. In the workshops, activity is gradually resuming, with vessels beginning to return to the dry dock and repair equipment. This recovery is first reflected in concrete operations. According to explanations, the tugboat coming from Mahajanga, Chambo Bora-II, is among the first vessels being handled, with an estimated duration of twenty days. It will be followed by Chambo Bora-III, while the shipyard prepares to welcome other boats linked to the shrimp campaign. In total, approximately twenty-five vessels are announced in this momentum, notably those from Réfrigépêche Ouest, Somapêche, and Pêche Export. For this shipping company, these bookings represent far more than simple commercial prospects; they are the first tangible signs of production restart. Setting Course for International Clientele For the shipyard, these orders represent a breath of fresh air. They especially mean that the industrial facility is beginning to function again and that Secren is gradually recovering its original purpose, allowing it to progressively restore confidence among shipowners and operators. However, this recovery cannot be sustainable without upgrading infrastructure. This is why Secren's general management is simultaneously conducting several technical interventions at the shipyard, particularly at the dry dock basin. Work includes fire pumps, basin drainage and drying systems, and repair of the floating dock. Another encouraging indicator: Secren is preparing to receive the PEGASUS, a small foreign cruise ship based in the Seychelles. Its arrival opens new perspectives for Antsiranana's shipyard, which aims to gradually recapture clientele beyond the national market. This international opening could be an important lever for the company's recovery. Tunisia enters this recovery strategy. Opening to new partners is also a determining element. The recent visit of Claude Miguet, President and General Director of the Mediterranean Repair Company, specialized in naval repair and maintenance, fits this perspective. His experience in the naval sector opens cooperation avenues capable of supporting the company in managing certain urgent matters, as well as in training, technical assistance, and improving management and operational practices. In short, today the shipyard wants to change its narrative, despite claims from some staff. Vessels are arriving. Teams are working. Equipment is being restored. Orders are returning. This new momentum is still fragile, but it is now concrete. 'Our challenge is significant: to make this operational recovery the starting point for genuine industrial turnaround. To achieve this, we must maintain the pace, secure infrastructure, attract new clients, and above all, durably restore Secren's credibility with shipowners and partners,' said the general director. He concluded that once this process is fully underway, the company must be able to stand on its own feet and no longer depend on State financial support to ensure regular payment of employee salaries. Raheriniaina
Source: L'Express de Madagascar