For 185 years now, the crew members of our shipyard in Kiel have a lot in common. They are fascinated by shipbuilding and they want to build the world's best vessels. Although technical requirements and capabilities have changed fundamentally in the course of these years, the heart and soul of our company, however, has remained the same. Our mission is to construct vessels that set new standards of design, efficiency, capability and appearance. Therefore the history of our shipyard comprises significant milestones.
Founding of ‘Maschinenbau und Eisengießerei Schweffel & Howaldt’ (Schweffel & Howaldt mechanical engineers and iron founders) in Kiel by Johann Schweffel and August Ferdinand Howaldt
The former Howaldts-Werften shipyards in Kiel grow and become the Howaldts-Werken
Further growth of the Howaldtswerke and expansion to the Port of Hamburg
Fusion of the ‘Kieler Howaltswerke AG’, ‘Howaldts Hamburg AG’ and the ‘Deutsche Werft AG’ to form the new shipbuilding concern ‘Howaldtswerke – Deutsche Werft Aktiengesellschaft’ (HDW)
Delivery of the Class F 122 frigate Karlsruhe to the German Navy
Delivery of the Class F 123 frigate Schleswig-Holstein to the German Navy
Delivery of the first Class F 124 frigate Hamburg to the German Navy
International shipyard fusion in the naval shipbuilding segment creates thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (tkMS). 1 July 2005 sees the transfer of surface vessel activities to HDW-Gaarden GmbH.
Foundation of our German Shipyard Group: Acquisition of NOBISKRUG by the internationally active Privinvest Group
Acquisition of the surface vessel shipbuilding of HDW-Gaarden; the name is changed to GERMAN NAVAL YARDS KIEL in 2015
Acquisition of the LINDENAU shipyards
Delivery of two special purpose vessels to foreign navy customers
Opening of the GERMAN NAVAL YARDS offices in Germany’s capital city, Berlin
Handing over of two frigates to a foreign navy customer
Delivery of four corvettes to a foreign navy
- Conversion of two emergency tugs for a French shipping company
- Overhaul of the combat support ship (EGV) "Frankfurt am Main" and installation of iMERZ on the EGV