As part of the signing of the partnership between Kherson, Saint-Nazaire, and Nantes, Vitalii Bielobrov, Deputy Mayor of Kherson, visited the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyards in Saint-Nazaire. He was accompanied by Vadym Omelchenko, Ambassador of Ukraine to France, representatives of the cities and the region—including Frédéric Vasse, Director General of the Nantes Saint-Nazaire Metropolitan Hub, and Aziliz Gouez, Vice President of Nantes Métropole—as well as the Stand With Ukraine team.
The visit, led by Laurent Castaing, CEO of Chantiers de l’Atlantique, offered an in-depth look at the shipyard’s infrastructure, construction workshops, and vessels currently under development. This moment, both symbolic and tangible, highlighted the relevance of the new partnership signed between the two estuary cities.
Today, more than 700 Ukrainian workers are employed at the site. The visit provided an opportunity to emphasize their vital contribution to ongoing projects, as well as to note the presence of two gantry cranes manufactured in Ukraine—a concrete testament to Ukrainian expertise and to the active cooperation between the two countries.
Kherson and Saint-Nazaire share a similar geographical setting, both located on an estuary, as well as an industrial fabric centered around shipbuilding and port activities. These common features pave the way for meaningful cooperation.
This visit took place within the framework of the MistoMatch program, led by Stand With Ukraine, which supports the development of strong and lasting partnerships between French and Ukrainian cities. The goal is to encourage exchanges of best practices, the delivery of humanitarian aid, and cooperation in key areas such as industry, energy, culture, and reconstruction.
