Construction Mecanique de Normandie
Encyclopedia
Construction Mecanique de Normandie (CMN) is a French
shipyard located at Cherbourg. It employs approximately four hundred employees covering the various specialities required for the construction of luxury yachts
and naval ships.
Since its foundation in 1945, the shipyard has delivered over 350 vessels. It is part of the holding company, Abu Dhabi MAR
, which is steered by the Emirate
of Abu Dhabi
.
in Cherbourg, France
. The first vessel built by CMN was a wooden trawler which was launched on 23 June 1948 and soon diversified its products to minesweepers
, coast guard vessels, fishing boats
, barge
s, Patrol Boats
and Fast Attack Craft
s.
In the 1960s, the shipyard specialized in building vessels with the CMN patented "glued laminated wood technique", especially the Mine Sweepers
for the French and German Navies. One of its major minesweeper series was the well-known CIRCÉ class Minehunters (the first one was launched on 15 December 1970, the following four between 1971 and 1972). The glued laminated technique was the best answer to the ship qualities in terms of non-magnetism, noise 's absorption or noise's reflecting.
From 1967, Félix Amiot diversified CMN's offerings with Fast Attack Craft
s with a wood-cored laminated hull. The incident that marked the beginning of a new class of fast attack craft in shipbuilding - La Combattante I, was the sinking of the Israeli destroyer INS Eilat
on October 21, 1967 by two Egyptian Komar
missile boats, as she sailed too close to Port Said
.
In 1962, Lürssen
of Germany signed an agreement to supply Israel with twelve of the Jaguar class fast attack craft
vessels. After the delivery of three of the twelve missile boats in 1964, Germany had to renounce the agreement owing to political pressures from Arab Nations. The Germans, however, agreed that the boats could be constructed elsewhere and CMN was chosen to construct the remaining nine, which would be of La Combattante I class ( Sa'ar-1-class Israeli Navy designate) fast attack crafts.
During the 1970s, the Bundesmarine (German Federal Navy), ordered 20 La Combattante II
fast attack crafts. The Tiger class fast attack craft
is a modification of the French
La Combattante II
design.
In 1992 the shipyard was taken over by Iskandar Safa
and in 2007, it becomes a part of Abu Dhabi MAR
.
, which is steered by the Emirate
of Abu Dhabi
and has around 400 employees. Its sister companies are ADMShipyards, Nobiskrug Shipyard, Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) (Civilian Shipbuilding assets only) & Hellenic Shipyards SA
.
CMN is able to build or refit vessels upto 70m. The construction is done entirely under sheltered halls (48 000 sqm of covered facilities), on a total surface of 110 000 sqm. The site has significantly sized building sheds, one of 161m x 22M, and another of 80m x 22m.
The vessels are launched by:
Before becoming a part of Abu Dhabi Mar group holding in 2007, Iskandar Safa
was the sole owner of CMN.
French
French is the adjective form of France and usually refers to:* Something of, from, or related to the nation of France** French culture** French cuisine** French people, inhabitants of France or people having family origins in France...
shipyard located at Cherbourg. It employs approximately four hundred employees covering the various specialities required for the construction of luxury yachts
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
and naval ships.
Since its foundation in 1945, the shipyard has delivered over 350 vessels. It is part of the holding company, Abu Dhabi MAR
Abu Dhabi MAR
Abu Dhabi MAR is a holding company, founded in 2007 and based in Abu Dhabi, UAE. It is a shipbuilding group with an international presence and one of the leading shipbuilders in the Persian Gulf....
, which is steered by the Emirate
Emirate
An emirate is a political territory that is ruled by a dynastic Muslim monarch styled emir.-Etymology:Etymologically emirate or amirate is the quality, dignity, office or territorial competence of any emir ....
of Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
.
History
The shipyard was founded in 1945 by the French aircraft constructor, Félix AmiotFélix Amiot
Félix Amiot was a French aircraft constructor.Amiot's first aircraft was built in a Paris garage in 1913, but it was not until 1916, during the First World War, that he became seriously involved in construction. The Minister of Defence granted a contract to SECM , owned by the Wertheimer brothers,...
in Cherbourg, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The first vessel built by CMN was a wooden trawler which was launched on 23 June 1948 and soon diversified its products to minesweepers
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
, coast guard vessels, fishing boats
Fishing vessel
A fishing vessel is a boat or ship used to catch fish in the sea, or on a lake or river. Many different kinds of vessels are used in commercial, artisanal and recreational fishing....
, barge
Barge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
s, Patrol Boats
Patrol boat
A patrol boat is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defense duties.There have been many designs for patrol boats. They may be operated by a nation's navy, coast guard, or police force, and may be intended for marine and/or estuarine or river environments...
and Fast Attack Craft
Fast Attack Craft
Fast Attack Craft are small, fast, agile and offensive warships, that are armed with anti-ship missiles, guns or torpedoes. These are usually operated in close proximity to land as they lack both the sea-keeping and all-round defensive capabilities to survive in blue water. The size of the vessel...
s.
In the 1960s, the shipyard specialized in building vessels with the CMN patented "glued laminated wood technique", especially the Mine Sweepers
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
for the French and German Navies. One of its major minesweeper series was the well-known CIRCÉ class Minehunters (the first one was launched on 15 December 1970, the following four between 1971 and 1972). The glued laminated technique was the best answer to the ship qualities in terms of non-magnetism, noise 's absorption or noise's reflecting.
From 1967, Félix Amiot diversified CMN's offerings with Fast Attack Craft
Fast Attack Craft
Fast Attack Craft are small, fast, agile and offensive warships, that are armed with anti-ship missiles, guns or torpedoes. These are usually operated in close proximity to land as they lack both the sea-keeping and all-round defensive capabilities to survive in blue water. The size of the vessel...
s with a wood-cored laminated hull. The incident that marked the beginning of a new class of fast attack craft in shipbuilding - La Combattante I, was the sinking of the Israeli destroyer INS Eilat
HMS Zealous (R39)
HMS Zealous was a Z-class destroyer of the Royal Navy built in 1944 by Cammell Laird. She served during the Second World War, participating in operations in the North Sea and off the Norwegian coast, before taking part in some of the Arctic convoys...
on October 21, 1967 by two Egyptian Komar
Komar class missile boat
The Soviet Project 183R class, more commonly known by its NATO reporting name Komar, is a class of missile boats, the first of its kind, built in the 1950s and 1960s. They also hold the distinction of being the first ships to sink another ship with anti-ship missiles.- Design :The Project 183 MTB...
missile boats, as she sailed too close to Port Said
Port Said
Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787...
.
In 1962, Lürssen
Lürssen
Lürssen is a German shipbuilding company based in Bremen-Vegesack.Lürssen designs and constructs yachts, naval ships and special vessels...
of Germany signed an agreement to supply Israel with twelve of the Jaguar class fast attack craft
Jaguar class fast attack craft
The Type 140 Jaguar class fast attack craft is an evolution of the German torpedo boats of World War II. The design was developed by Lürssen and designated Schnellboot 55. The 20 boats that were built for the German Navy were in Service from 1959 to 1976...
vessels. After the delivery of three of the twelve missile boats in 1964, Germany had to renounce the agreement owing to political pressures from Arab Nations. The Germans, however, agreed that the boats could be constructed elsewhere and CMN was chosen to construct the remaining nine, which would be of La Combattante I class ( Sa'ar-1-class Israeli Navy designate) fast attack crafts.
During the 1970s, the Bundesmarine (German Federal Navy), ordered 20 La Combattante II
FACM Class La Combattante IIa
Fast Attack Craft Missile Class La Combattante IIa were originally built for the German Navy as Type 148 Tiger class fast attack craft. They were later transferred to Hellenic Navy and the class was renamed Combattante IIa, as with similar French made ships. All the ships were under mid-life...
fast attack crafts. The Tiger class fast attack craft
Tiger class fast attack craft
The Type 148 Tiger class fast attack craft is a modification of the French La Combattante II design for the Bundesmarine . The La Combattante had been designed by Lürssen of Germany for Israel, but were built in France by Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie in Cherbourg for political reasons...
is a modification of the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
La Combattante II
FACM Class La Combattante IIa
Fast Attack Craft Missile Class La Combattante IIa were originally built for the German Navy as Type 148 Tiger class fast attack craft. They were later transferred to Hellenic Navy and the class was renamed Combattante IIa, as with similar French made ships. All the ships were under mid-life...
design.
In 1992 the shipyard was taken over by Iskandar Safa
Iskandar Safa
Iskandar Safa is a French businessman of Lebanese origins , who became famous during the Lebanese hostage crisis in 1987-88 and suspected financial transactions of the ransom...
and in 2007, it becomes a part of Abu Dhabi MAR
Abu Dhabi MAR
Abu Dhabi MAR is a holding company, founded in 2007 and based in Abu Dhabi, UAE. It is a shipbuilding group with an international presence and one of the leading shipbuilders in the Persian Gulf....
.
Operations
CMN is part of the holding company, Abu Dhabi MARAbu Dhabi MAR
Abu Dhabi MAR is a holding company, founded in 2007 and based in Abu Dhabi, UAE. It is a shipbuilding group with an international presence and one of the leading shipbuilders in the Persian Gulf....
, which is steered by the Emirate
Emirate
An emirate is a political territory that is ruled by a dynastic Muslim monarch styled emir.-Etymology:Etymologically emirate or amirate is the quality, dignity, office or territorial competence of any emir ....
of Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
and has around 400 employees. Its sister companies are ADMShipyards, Nobiskrug Shipyard, Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) (Civilian Shipbuilding assets only) & Hellenic Shipyards SA
Hellenic Shipyards Co.
Hellenic Shipyards is a large Shipyard in Skaramangas near Athens, Greece.Its origins are connected with a shipyard created in 1937 in order to build warships...
.
CMN is able to build or refit vessels upto 70m. The construction is done entirely under sheltered halls (48 000 sqm of covered facilities), on a total surface of 110 000 sqm. The site has significantly sized building sheds, one of 161m x 22M, and another of 80m x 22m.
The vessels are launched by:
- a slipway for yachts under 700 tons
- a 3000 ton Syncrolift (lift area of 32m x 90m)
Before becoming a part of Abu Dhabi Mar group holding in 2007, Iskandar Safa
Iskandar Safa
Iskandar Safa is a French businessman of Lebanese origins , who became famous during the Lebanese hostage crisis in 1987-88 and suspected financial transactions of the ransom...
was the sole owner of CMN.
Official
Other
- Abu Dhabi MAR Shipyard
- CMN | Israeli Contract for completing the twelve fast craft vessels orginally signed with Germany
- CMN | globalsecurity.org
- http://books.google.com/books?id=cg39hcj6AxQC&pg=RA2-PA77&lpg=RA2-PA77&dq=e+end+of+1964+three+of+the+twelve+missile+boats+had+been+built+and+delivered+from+Germany+to+Israel.+But+a+German+member+of+the+government+leaked+news&source=bl&ots=QGCek-RnpT&sig=Zeq-8hB1upKBW4iA_QXIcxKMGN0&hl=en&ei=mZ_OTsXQGYrJrQeX_Y2vDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=e%20end%20of%201964%20three%20of%20the%20twelve%20missile%20boats%20had%20been%20built%20and%20delivered%20from%20Germany%20to%20Israel.%20But%20a%20German%20member%20of%20the%20government%20leaked%20news&f=falsePg 76 | Strategic Intelligence: Understanding the hidden side of government By Loch K. Johnson]