Portuguese businessman Mário Ferreira has acquired Navalria, a shipbuilding and repair company located in the Port of Aveiro, from Martifer for €3.7 million, according to a company announcement on March 16, 2026.
The deal includes 100% of the shares of Navalria, as well as associated assets. Martifer initially purchased Navalria in 2008 for €4.6 million. The sale is expected to have a “positive, although residual” impact on Martifer’s consolidated results, the company stated in a filing with the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM).
Navalria specializes in the construction, repair and maintenance of small and medium-sized vessels. Ferreira, who also owns Douro Azul, intends to invest in increasing the production capacity of the Aveiro shipyards, not only for his own group but also for other naval operators. This acquisition comes as Ferreira has expressed interest in revitalizing naval shipyards in Mitrena, Setúbal, to build river, ocean, and military vessels.
The move addresses a critical need for shipbuilding capacity in Portugal, a concern Ferreira voiced earlier this year on social media. He highlighted the necessity of constructing vessels domestically, rather than relying on foreign shipyards, citing a recent project that required building a new Douro river ship in Kladovo, Serbia, due to limited space in Viana do Castelo. “Portugal needs to quickly rethink the shipbuilding industry and not lose the many, many opportunities, national and international,” Ferreira wrote.
Ferreira confirmed the purchase to ECO, a Portuguese business news outlet. The acquisition of Navalria allows Ferreira to expand his shipbuilding capabilities and potentially reduce reliance on international facilities. The company currently employs around 50 workers, according to Notícias de Aveiro.
The transaction underscores the growing demand for shipbuilding services and the strategic importance of bolstering domestic capacity within the Portuguese maritime industry. Martifer communicated the sale to the CMVM on March 16, 2026, as reported by Diário de Aveiro and ECO.
