Nine Sets of Tender Documentation for Uljanik, Bidding Deadline Approaching
The sale of the 97 percent state stake in the last state-owned shipyard is entering its final phase, with the deadline for binding bids set for Tuesday at noon.
The sale of the 97 percent state stake in the last state-owned shipyard is entering its final phase, with the deadline for binding bids set for Tuesday at noon.
In less than a week, it will become clear whether there is genuine serious interest in taking over Pula's Uljanik shipyard. According to unofficial information, the tender for the state's 97 percent stake has attracted the attention of potential investors. The Center for the Restructuring and Sale of State Assets (CERP) has sold nine sets of tender documentation, allowing participation and bid submission. The actual situation will only become clear after the deadline for submitting binding bids expires.
Although there is no official data on names, several sources familiar with the process agree that, unlike a similar tender three years ago, the candidates are now more concrete and serious, coming from the shipbuilding and maritime sectors.
Three years ago, the majority stake in the shipyard Uljanik Brodogradnja 1856, which emerged from the bankruptcy of the former Uljanik, was offered through an auction conducted by bankruptcy trustee Loris Rak. At that time, six potential buyers submitted letters of intent, including representatives from Israel Shipyard, Rijeka's Adria Mont, Slovenia's Eko Bor, Romania's GSP Offshore, Italy's Micoperi, and La Maison from Cyprus.
In the final phase, Czech entrepreneur Jaroslav Strnad, known in the military industry and holding a majority stake in Đuro Đaković and a 34 percent stake in Port of Rijeka, also joined. Strnad's connection with the Pula shipyard was the most volatile, as he repeatedly showed interest and then withdrew. Ultimately, the surprise was Slovenian businessman Dušan Šešok, owner of Iskra and the shipyard in Šibenik.
In the meantime, Šešok has taken over 3. maj, where he is still "getting a grip" and putting it back on its feet, but he has confirmed that he has purchased the bidding documentation for Uljanik in the ongoing procedure. Due to procedural rules, the Pula shipyard and CERP do not disclose who the bidders are, but Uljanik's director, Samir Hadžić, openly says it would be good for the state to retain one shipyard.
Hadžić is surprised by the interest and seriousness of potential candidates, but the full picture, he concludes in a brief conversation, will only be available next week. Currently, there is demand for additional capacity in European shipyards, especially due to large orders in the military sector, which is partly linked to interest in the Pula shipyard.
For CERP, the only evaluation criterion is that bids comply with the conditions: unconditional and binding, with a guarantee of 110,850 euros and a minimum price of 11.085 million euros, and an obligation to continue shipbuilding activities. The deadline for submitting bids expires on Tuesday at noon.
