SOBRENA                                                            (in sight of sky)

Sobrena established in 1987

Following a long tradition of Shiprepairing in Brest (our Drydock no.1 was probably the largest drydock in the world when it was commissioned in 1910) Groupe Meunier brought in a new style of management. Nowadays, Sobrena is the major Shiprepair Yard in France. With three drydocks (up to 80 m width and 420 m length) Sobrena can accommodate nearly all the ships in the World, with only very few ULCC exceptions.

Sobrena is proud of its long reference list including major operators in:

North Sea Shuttle Tankers,
LNG Carriers,
Tankers,
Car Ferries,
OBOs,
Ro-Ros
Etc.

Our dedication is to provide our customers with :

high standard of quality,
competitive prices
very reliable delivery time

Michel FAOU

Managing Director

Shuttle Tanker in DD no.3

A renowned and financially secure group

By using our services, you will benefit from the guarantee offered by our belonging to an important group. The family origins bear witness to its dynamism together with the competence of our management team.The technological, financial and human resources which we have within the framework of our holding group add to our credibility. They justify the confidance shown in us by important national and international companies. Meunier group has 1800 employees.

Some of Sobrena's references

Shiprepair

Atlantic Container Line (Ro-Ros)
Bona Shipping (Tankers)
Brittany Ferries (Car Ferries)
CGM (Container Ships)
Delmas (General Cargo, Container Carriers)
Dreyfus (General Cargo, LNG)
Franship Management (Tankers)
Gazocean (LPG - LNG)
Interocean Ugland Management (Shuttle Tankers)
Irish Ferries (Car Ferries)
Jahre (Tankers)
Knutsen (Shuttle Tankers)
Northern Marine (Shuttle Tanker)
P & O Ferries
Rasmussen (Shuttle Tankers)
SHELL (LNG, Shuttle Tankers)
Hyproc Shipping (LNG)
Ugland Marine (Shuttle Tankers)
Bro Ström (Product Tankers)
Wallem (Tankers)

Sobrena has entered in June 2000 in an Alliance Agreement with Shell International (Tankers, Shuttle Tankers, Product Tankers, LNG Carriers). Sobrena has signed in March 2001 a General Contract with SNTM-Hyproc for LNG Carriers.

Offshore Repair/Conversion

Saipem (Castoro SEI, several refit dockings, Castoro Otto, refit & upgrading)
EMC (semi-sub pipe laying barge "Castoro Sei")
Rasmussen (accomodation platform "Polycastle" : DP system, 4 thrusters, blisters, sponsons)
Sedco-Forex (drilling semi-sub "Sedco 707": In a group of 4 co-contractors, Sobrena was in charge of : fitting of 8 thrusters for DP III system, pontoons jumboïsing, blisters, fatigue life enhancement, etc ... plus other works in conjunction with co-contractors),
McDermott - ETPM ("DLB 200", "DLB 1601")

Servicing the shipping sector

The Brittany region of France has a rich tradition as a centre of fishing and sea-borne trade. In support of these activities an infrastructure of marine facilities has sprung up. One of the leading ship repair companies in the region is Sobrena in Brest. The company’s enormous dry docks can accommodate the biggest ships in the world with only a few exceptions.

SOBRENA carries out all kinds of repair work on civilian vessels measuring over 100m in length. Its customers operate in various shipping sectors including tankers, LNG carriers, car ferries and RoRo vessels among others. Ship repairs, refits and upgrades are carried out in the company’s three drydocks and four repairs berths. The largest of these is drydock N°3 which measures 420m by 80m and has a lifting capacity of 150 tons. “When drydock N° 1 was commissioned in 1910 it was probably the largest drydock in the world. Today, it is dwarfed by the other two and is less frequently used” says Michel FAOU (Managing Director).
On average work is carried out on between 40 and 45 ships each year. The length of time taken for the repairs varies from one week to several months depending on the extent of the work being undertaken.

SOBRENA’S success in a competitive sector is attributed to the quality of its work and its quick turnaround times. With a workforce of 250 people it generates annual turnover of 60 million EUR. Since 1987 it has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Meunier Group which also has its headquarters in Brest. “Before the arrival of Meunier, the repair yard had been in the hands of various regional operators. After acquiring SOBRENA, it initiated a new style of management that has proved highly effective and allowed us to become the leading shipyard in France” says Mr FAOU. 80% of SOBRENA’s work is carried out on behalf of foreign shipbuilders, with a significant proportion of these located in Norway. The ships worked on all ply the waters of the Atlantic basin between Europe and the Americas.

In 2000, SOBRENA concluded an exclusive maintenance contract with the Shell-owned shipyard in London that will ensure it is kept busy in the coming years. Although the company does not carry out traditional advertising it attends the Northshipping trade fair in Oslo and the Ship Repair Conversion fair in London and enjoys a high profile in the industry. “Speed, quality and price are the key to our success and will continue to attract customers in the future”, says Mr FAOU in conclusion.