Fincantieri and Albanian defense firm KAYO have agreed to establish a joint shipbuilding venture aimed at strengthening Albania’s naval capacity and infrastructure. The announcement came during a bilateral summit in Rome. The new venture plans to construct and sustain Albanian Navy vessels and potentially produce export ships up to 80 meters long. KAYO’s Pashaliman shipyard will be upgraded to support the project, with Fincantieri providing engineering expertise and workforce development. The summit generated a series of defense-related agreements, including KAYO’s expanded work with Leonardo on cybersecurity initiatives. Italy also committed to transferring patrol vessels to Albania and enhancing the country’s civil protection network with improved emergency training, warning systems, and adoption of the European 112 response standard. Funding measures include €30 million for equipment modernization and €5 million for strengthening rapid-response operations.
