Marine shipbuilding: Thyssenkrupp wants to bring submarine division to the stock exchange

The plans for the independence of the highly busy Kiel submarine farmer Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) are progressing. The parent company Thyssenkrupp in Essen is planning a IPO of his marine division. “We want to carry out the IPO in the calendar year 2025. We are also preparing an extraordinary general meeting for this,” said Thyssenkrupp CEO Miguel López in the podcast “on the abyss-The Thyssenkrupp-Story of the” West German Allgemeine Zeitung “.

The industrial group does not want to give the tax completely out of hand. “We want to spend marine shares that our shareholders have booked directly into their depot. It is clear that Thyssenkrupp keeps the majority, at least 51 percent,” said López. In addition to its main shipyard in Kiel, the armaments group TKMS also has a shipyard in Wismar in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where it wants to build submarines and also manufactured combat ships as in Kiel.

There have already been talks with the Federal Government and the KfW funding bank on an entry of the federal government. According to previous information from the Federal Ministry of Economics, it was said: “We can confirm that the Federal Government is in discussions with Thyssenkrupp about the future of TKMS, since TKMS is particularly important with a view to the key technologies and thus the security interests of Germany.” The ministry did not want to comment on details.

Union Chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz had already promised support in January during a visit to Kiel after taking over the government. “We will make a new attempt here and support this company in every respect so that it can also become self -employed,” said Merz at the time.

Schleswig-Holstein’s Minister of Economic Affairs Claus Ruhe Madsen (CDU) told the German Press Agency, the current order situation and the medium-term perspectives of the shipyard were excellent. “However, the processing of the orders requires considerable investments.” For this, the company wants to get fresh capital from the capital market. “I continue to assume that the new federal government will also deal with this process. We are also in close exchange with the company.”

TKMS claims to be busy until the early 2040s. In December, the Bundestag budget committee approved the construction of four other submarines of modern class 212CD for the German Navy. The order volume for the German units alone is 4.7 billion euros. According to previous TKMS, Norway has already signaled to want to increase the number of submarines.

The division’s order books are full, said CEO López. Thyssenkrupp is in regular discussions with the Federal Government on the future of the Marine division. “An IPO is not only an important step for us, but also strategically relevant for the Federal Republic of Germany with a view to possible cooperation in the European armaments sector.”

IG Metall district manager Daniel Friedrich told the German Press Agency, “We assess the order situation and utilization at TKMS as extraordinarily positive”. The orders for further submarines for further submarines for the German Navy and for the research ship “Polarstern” would also contribute to this.

“The company faces significant investments in the shipyard in Wismar and a further structure of employment,” said Friedrich. To do this, the independence must make a positive contribution and make the necessary capital available. “Regardless of whether an IPO or partnerships are sought with industrial investors, a state entry is crucial for us. We see the Federal Government challenged in every constellation.”