Far East: the Asian supply chain hub of Naval Group

14 mai 2018 Naval de défense International Actualité

Set up in the heart of the Strait of Malacca, in an environment with a strong maritime traffic component, the Singapore-based Naval Group Far East is a wholly owned subsidiary of Naval Group. It is one of the international outposts for the activities of the Services department, and illustrates the group’s development on different international markets by developing local skills and capabilities in a region with a recognized strong potential. Naval Group Far East, mainly composed of locally recruited employees from 7 different nationalities, has steadily developed its service activities. Today, these activities mainly consist in the provision of in-service support for Singaporean and Taiwanese frigates, installation, operation and maintenance of floating security barriers, underwater inspection by ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) services as well as technical support for the group’s activities in South Asia. The development of Naval Group Far East is apparent in its various fields of activities, and the subsidiary’s turnover has doubled over the last five years. For the Singapore Navy, in January 2016 Naval Group Far East signed a contract to supply the spare parts kits required for major maintenance of the six Formidable-class frigates. Naval Group Far East has enriched its services offering, carrying out in 2012 the installation of a floating security barrier at a Singaporean key location. This barrier is designed to protect and secure the site from possible threats coming from the sea. Since then, the subsidiary has been in charge of the barrier’s maintenance and operation. Naval Group Far East will now enhance this security activity by proposing global harbour security solutions. The company’s development also includes new activities for civilian customers, such as underwater inspection by ROV, submarine robots which can perform the underwater inspection of structures in such diverse fields as oil & gas, port infrastructure, ships, etc. In line with the Naval Group internationalisation decided by its board and being based in Singapore which is an Asian central location for almost 15 years, the company has recently been assigned a new regional key role. Naval Group Far East will now actively develop and perform the regional logistics activities and become a supply chain major hub of the group in Asia. This strategic decision strongly confirms, if required, the long term implementation of Naval Group in Singapore. All these developments have helped Naval Group Far East to increase its local skills at the service of the Naval Group in Asia.  
Key milestones: 2000 – 2008: Formidable-class program for the provision of 6 multi-role frigates 2005: Creation of Far East subsidiary. Naval Group (former DCNS) delivers the first of the 6 frigates built in Lorient 2008: Delivery to the Republic of Singapore Navy of the last Formidable-class frigate 2011: Development of in-service support activities for Taiwan 2012: Installation of a sea-floating barrier 2013: First underwater inspection contract 2013 : Signature of Operation & Maintenance contract for sea-floating barrier 2016: Signature of the Group Order contract for the Republic of Singapore Navy 2017 : Extension of the existing sea-floating barrier