Norway's AKER MARITIME and Anglo-Norwegian KVAERNER are to merge their shipyards in a single company worth some 20 bn Norwegian crowns in terms of pro forma annual turnover and employing 13,500 people. Between them, AKER MARITIME and KVAERNER own 12 shipyards in Europe, one in the US and one in Brazil. The order books for the fourteen shipyards combined include a contract to build 80 ships worth a total of 35 bn NOK. The deal involves setting up a 50/50 joint venture to run the shipyards.