The Swiss Emmanuel Regusci, graduated as first marine engineer in Genoa and ship repair workshop owner, became partner in 1901 with the Alsatian Alberto Voulminot, engineer graduated at The Societe Alsacienne de Constructions Mecaniques.

This partnership was the origin of one of the most important uruguayan metallurgical companies, called “The North Foundry”, that years later would change its name to “Regusci y Voulminot”.

Floating Dock Platform

Floating Dock Overview

In the 1920´s, they bought at Lubeck - Germany - a floating dock, that was applied to develop the company during the following years.

In 1947 it was acquired a 15,000 tons. lifting capacity floating dock from the British Admiralty, in order to compensate for the one that had been handed over to the Royal Navy in 1943, during 2nd Wold War.

At those days, the Company was already a very good example concerning metallurgical and mechanical industrial activity, and was recognized for its equipment capacity and its skillful workers, many of them European immigrants.

During the 1960´s, the "Cecilia", first uruguayan ship classed with the maximum Lloyd?s Register qualification was constructed, and at the 70´s beginning, the Company was preparing itself to construct small commercial airplanes.

Floating Dock - M/V "Serenissima"

Floating Dock - M/V - "Sudelmar"

Also at the initial 70´s, Captain Panagiotis Tsakos founded in Greece, the Tsakos Group.

Among the great variety of activities the Group faced up in 1974, the Regusci y Voulminot shares total acquisition. In that opportunity, this company was stopped, facing a hard financial situation and consequently, important problems related with its personnel.

The new company, named TSAKOS INDUSTRIAS NAVALES S.A., was able to join the great experience of a shipyard that had a well known quality and leadership tradition in South America, with the support and hard working nature existing in the International Group, with its main offices located at Greece, to which it started to belong.

In 1975 it was started an investment schedule, that included to reactivate and to organize TSAKOS INDUSTRIAS NAVALES. Among the most relevant investments performed are:

F/V "Cecilia" Construction

First ship owned by “Tsakos Shipping and Trading” that was docked in the R&V Floating Dock.

• Floating dock purchase in 1988 to the Blohm y Voss german shipyard of 20,000 tons lifting capacity, 200 m total length, 31,5 m internal beam. It must be emphasized that the dock was transported in two parts, and then joined and installed, being a very important work that demonstrated the high technical qualification of all at each level of TSAKOS INDUSTRIES NAVALES S.A. personnel.

• New port facilities implementation, including: to build a workshop; to build an electric energy substation; to improve, the repair pier, the pier and dock cranes, and the support pontoons; to dredge the dock pit and access reaching a depth suitable to allow the entrance to the the shipyard of those ships according to the new dock capacity.

• Cut and suction dredge adquisition, with 14 m depth dredging capacity, in order to maintain the required depth in those areas related with shipyard operation at Montevideo harbour.

• Agreement signing with Port Administration, in order to allow the shipyard to operate the Port Administration floating dock, 650 tons lifting capacity, 60 m total length,14 m internal beam.

Tsakos Group is involved in the maritime activity through its own fleet of more than 70 ships, with approximately 8 millions tons transportation capacity, and with international image through its own offices at Greece, United Kingdom, United States of America, Singapur, Ghana, Japan, Korea and Uruguay.

The fleet administration is performed by “TSAKOS SHIPPING & TRADING S.A.”, that is qualified by ISO – 9.001 Standard for Quality Managements Systems and by ISO – 14,001 Standard for Environmental Managements Systems.

Another of the maritime companies that belongs to the Group, “TSAKOS ENERGY NAVIGATION”, is at present quoting in The New York and in The Oslo stock exchange.