The Kiel-based shipbuilder Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) has secured a massive contract from Canada, valued in the billions of euros. According to announcements made on Monday by the company and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, TKMS is contracted to deliver up to twelve Type 212CD submarines to North America. This successful bid establishes TKMS over a South Korean competitor.
The company anticipates that this substantial award will increase its current order backlog by more than 50 percent. Furthermore, the first submarine is slated for delivery by 2033, marking this as the largest submarine order in TKMS’s history. The construction of these vessels will take place in both Kiel and Wismar, potentially leading to the creation of up to 1,500 new jobs in the regions.
Canada intends to put the first of these new submarines into operation by 2035 at the latest. Since the 212CD model was developed in partnership with Norway, its standardized design is expected to reduce costs and simplify cooperative efforts.
The German federal government played an influential role in promoting the agreement. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) took multiple trips to Canada to facilitate the business, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) described the project as a “large, strategic undertaking connecting Canada, Germany, and Norway for decades.” The Chancellor emphasized that Germany would uphold this “mutual trust” well into the future.
