STX confirms Hardelay exit

Laurent Castaing has officially replaced Jacques Hardelay as the general manager of STX Europe’s French shipbuilding unit.

Laurent Castaing.

In a statement, the company thanked Hardelay for his seven years of service but did not shed light on the veteran’s plans for the future.

Prior to today’s appointment, Castaing managed the Port of Nantes Saint-Nazaire before serving as the executive director of Grand Port Maritime du Havre, his most recent employer.

"I am deeply happy to come back to a company I know so well,” he told clients Monday, “I am perfectly aware of its abilities to focus on its targets and to make the necessary change to adapt to the market and to the present challenges”.

TradeWinds first broke news of Hardelay’s impending departure on Friday.

As previously reported the trained engineer, born in 1950, joined STX in January 2005 as senior vice president for operations.

Jacques Hardelay.

Hardelay's departure comes at a time when the group's cruise and ferries division is improving its financial performance.

Pre-tax and interest earnings were NOK 161m ($27.61m) in the first nine months of last year, despite a decline in revenue, while order intake was down at NOK 8.65bn, compared to NOK 9.79bn in 2010. These results also include the STX Finland yards, however.

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