Report: Fincantieri Sole Bidder for STX France

STX France Italian shipbuilding and ship designing company Fincantieri has emerged as the only bidder for Saint-Nazaire-based shipbuilder STX France, Reuters informed citing a source close to the matter. Earlier this week, a spokesperson for a Korean court overseeing the sale process, a part of the sale of the STX Offshore and Shipbuilding group, said that one bid was submitted for the French unit, without revealing the name of the bidder. The Seoul court is reportedly scheduled to announce its decision on the offer on January 3. World Maritime News contacted Fincantieri for further details on the matter, however, the company is yet to reply. Earlier reports suggested that four parties expressed interest in acquiring the controlling stake in the French shipbuilding company. The French state, which holds a minority stake of 33 percent in the firm, supposedly said that it would not acquire the majority share, however, it indicated that it would have a say in the selection of the buyer. World Maritime News Staff