Giuseppe Bono – CEO of Fincantieri to «Al Jundi»: GCC Market is Our Strategic Goal

As one of the largest shipbuilding companies in the world‭, ‬The Italian Company Fincantieri has established itself in recent years as highly capable and reliable‭, ‬setting the standard for quality and attracting the attention of the most important countries‭,‬‭ ‬especially the navies in various armies of the world‭. ‬To shed more light on the Italian company‭, ‬its fields of work‭, ‬and products‭, ‬Al Jundi Journal interviewed Mr‭. ‬Giuseppe Bono‭, ‬CEO of Fincantieri‭, ‬and had the following dialogue with him‭:‬

Talk to us about Fincantieri‭, ‬its fields of work in general‭, ‬as well as the most prominent products that the company offers to its customers‭, ‬and what is the extent of satisfaction and demand for these products

Fincantieri is the first Western and one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups‭.‬

We are a leader in cruise ship design and a reference player in all high-tech shipbuilding industry sectors‭, ‬from naval to offshore vessels‭, ‬from high-complexity ferries to mega yachts‭.‬

Our capabilities cover sectors such as the production of systems and components‭, ‬equipment for mechanical and electrical segments‭, ‬from cruise ship interiors solutions‭, ‬electronic and surveillance systems‭, ‬to infrastructures and maritime constructions‭, ‬as‭ ‬well as after-sales services‭.‬

We have the most diversified product portfolio in the world combined with a wide client base and a strong backlog‭. ‬Fincantieri has the capabilities to design‭, ‬build and manage all types of products in the military sector‭, ‬from small fast patrol boats up to‭ ‬aircraft carriers‭, ‬including corvettes‭, ‬frigates‭, ‬fleet tankers‭, ‬landing platforms docks‭, ‬and so on‭. ‬Moreover‭, ‬our capabilities‭ ‬include not only surface vessels but also submarines of different dimensions and characteristics‭.‬

It is important to underline that Fincantieri’s mission goes beyond shipbuilding‭: ‬Fincantieri Group is a strategic industrial partner able to support Navies and Shipbuilding companies‭.‬

‭ ‬Through its expertise‭, ‬shared between the Mother Company and its branches worldwide‭, ‬Fincantieri can boast the ability to undertake‭, ‬develop and complete complex projects not only in shipbuilding but also in other industrial and construction fields‭.‬

The international market requires an ever-wider service portfolio‭. ‬In such a frame‭, ‬Fincantieri can offer an unrivaled experience ready to embrace customer’s needs‭: ‬improvement plans for shipyards‭, ‬crew operational training‭ & ‬simulators‭, ‬cyber and physical security‭, ‬unmanned technologies‭, ‬maintenance and in-service support‭, ‬design‭ & ‬building of maritime‭, ‬civil‭, ‬and industrial infrastructures‭, ‬and more‮…‬‭ ‬

Such a wide range of services is the key success factor for the satisfaction of our clients that can count on a Partner that guarantees full support ensuring the growth of the local economy‭, ‬the improvement of local partners’‭ ‬capabilities and expertise‭, ‬on the most advanced ships in terms of design and construction‭. ‬

How important is the UAE and GCC market to Fincantieri‭?‬

Gulf Cooperation Council market is strategic for Fincantieri‭, ‬and as previously underlined‭, ‬we are also looking beyond the naval‭ ‬sector‭, ‬there are important ongoing actions with all the other GCC members to put definitively the GCC in a central position for the business perspectives of Fincantieri‭.‬

What are your most prominent projects for the next stage‭?‬

Fincantieri constantly has many important projects in progress‭, ‬aimed to improve our proposal and continuously strengthen our position as a strategic partner in the defence sector‭.‬

Small submarines‭, ‬new class Corvettes‭, ‬drones‭, ‬and anti-drones systems‭, ‬fully integrated and customized solutions in the unmanned vehicles field‭, ‬are the most prominent projects on which we are focused‭.‬

This confirms our primary interest in further expanding the role of partner for the supply of state-of-the-art naval units with‭ ‬related support throughout its life in the service‭.‬

New technologies‭, ‬advanced systems such as cybersecurity‭, ‬drones‭, ‬anti-drones systems‭, ‬and electronics‭, ‬managed through the subsidiary Fincantieri NexTech with a wide range portfolio of innovative products are of great importance‭.‬

In such context‭, ‬a good example is radar OMEGA 360‭, ‬a unique non-rotating antenna and simultaneous surveillance over 360°‭ ‬radar‭, ‬able to detect and classify the most demanding threats like individual and swarms of drones including mini and nano drones‭, ‬periscopes‭, ‬swimmers‭, ‬and in general very small threats‭. ‬Through various official tests‭, ‬it has been demonstrated its unique‭ ‬high performance in terms of detection‭ & ‬classification of the threats‭.‬

What are your company’s plans for the future and how do you see the company changing in two years‭?‬

We aspire to be the world leaders in the industrial sectors where we operate‭, ‬increasing our areas of competencies consolidating‭ ‬our role of strategic partner able to support the client in a wide range of enterprises‭, ‬through investments in the local economy‭, ‬transfer of know-how‭, ‬and long term support for the vessels management‭. ‬

Fincantieri is investing‭, ‬through its wide galaxy of subsidiaries and associates‭. ‬Besides the already mentioned new technologies‭ ‬and advanced systems field‭, ‬another example showing how wide is Fincantieri offer in terms of products and services is Fincantieri Infrastructure‭, ‬which is specialized in the design‭, ‬fabrication‭, ‬and assembly of steel structures for large-scale projects such as bridges‭, ‬stadiums‭, ‬port facilities‭, ‬and industrial‭, ‬commercial and institutional projects‭.‬

This means that in the next two years our effort is focused to consolidate our position of trusted and strategic partner of numerous international contractors‭, ‬able to provide turnkey solutions‭, ‬products‭, ‬and services not only in the naval field supporting‭ ‬the development of local economies and providing 360-degrees benefits for our clients‭.‬

How do you assess the cooperation between your company and GCC countries‭, ‬particularly the United Arab Emirates‭?‬

As a strategic industrial partner of many industrial and governmental clients‭, ‬we are used to having a significant presence in foreign countries establishing a local presence‭, ‬also through agreements with local players‭.‬

What new products is Fincantieri offering the UAE and Gulf region‭?‬

Fincantieri is focusing on many important solutions‭, ‬with particular attention on new 4000‭ ‬tons Corvettes‭, ‬unmanned systems‭, ‬and‭ ‬innovative submarines‭.‬

Regarding this last product‭, ‬I would like to say a few words about the innovative S800‭ ‬class Submarine‭. ‬S800‭ ‬is a compact size submarine‭, ‬whose characteristics encompass all the technical and operational experience initially gained with the U212A and then‭ ‬consolidated with new U212NFS‭, ‬where Fincantieri is the prime contractor and design authority‭. ‬Within the S800‭ ‬all the Fincantieri’s experience and competencies are condensed‭. ‬Besides‭  ‬making it difficult to be detected by active sonar‭, ‬Its dimensions allow bringing to shallow waters and high-density surface traffic areas the same tasks carried out in deeper waters by bigger‭, ‬thanks to its better maneuverability and depth control characteristics‭. ‬At the same time‭, ‬its operational depth‭, ‬endurance‭, ‬and high automation also allow operations in deep water/ocean areas‭, ‬for extended duration missions‭. ‬Its Combat System includes a full suit‭ ‬of weapons whose performances are comparable to those of the U212NFS‭.‬

Would you like to send any message through Al Jundi Journal to the defense community in general‭, ‬or in the UAE in particular‭?‬

We are Fincantieri‭, ‬we are your Partner‭.‬

» ‬Interviewed by‭: «Al Jundi»

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