Emile Macron, the new president of the French Republic, wants MSC Cruises and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCCL) to become part owners of the cruise ship building yard in St Nazaire in France, the Le Monde newspaper reports on its website.

Fincantieri, the Italian shipbuilder that is the world’s largest builder of cruise tonnage, agreed to acquire two thirds of the shares in STX France that owns the yard from STX Offshore & Shipbuilding, the South Korean company that is facing major financial difficulties. The French government owns the rs of the shares in the St Nazaire yard.

Both MSC Cruises and RCCL have major cruise ships on order at STX France and according to the report in le Monde, the two companies would jointly hold a stake of 10% in the French shipbuilder in a plan that is favoured by Macron.

Sources in France have raised concerns that Fincantieri might favour its Italian shipyards and direct orders to them at the expense of St Nazaire if it is allowed to acquire controlling interst in the French shipyard