Warsaw (Puls Biznesu) – Next year, Stocznia Szczecinska Nowa and Stocznia Gdynia shipyards will be merged into Korporacja Polskie Stocznie (KPS). Polish Industrial Development Agency (ARP), the owner of 100 percent of KPS has made the decision. ‘Next year, maybe in January, we plan to issue shares of the corporation’, Arkadiusz Krezel, ARP CEO said. The shares will be offered to the Treasury Ministry in exchange for shares of Stocznia Gdynia shipyard, and ARP – in exchange for the shares of the Szczecin shipyard. Today, the two stakes are worth around PLN 400 million (EUR 98.7 million) but the issue price may be higher.
Also minority shareholders and creditors could get the new shares. ‘If we find a proper buyer for our stake, we will surely sell it’, Cezary Stypulkowski, the CEO of PZU insurer said. PZU is a minority shareholder in Stocznia Gdynia. Rami Ungar is also interested in acquiring the shares. The businessman, ordering car transporting ships in Polish shipyards, has already bought from Kredyt Bank PLN 55 million of debts of the companies. If they were converted into shares, he would have a 10 percent stake and 20 percent voices during shareholders meetings of Stocznia Gdynia. The shareholders meeting held on December 20th, however, did not make any decision. Arkadiusz Krezel explained that only KPS, PZU and the Treasury Ministry, owning jointly 74 percent of voices, took part in the meeting.
(PLN 1 = EUR 0.247)
Poland/Enterprises/Shipyards