The Canadian-backed developer behind the proposed Jonava Defence Hub expects the site to eventually house five or six factories, according to the company behind the project.
CanBalt Ventures , which is seeking to build a large-scale defence and logistics park in central Lithuania, has submitted a rezoning request to Jonava municipality setting out its plans in more detail.
The company says the project will complement the existing local defence cluster, which includes a military vehicle maintenance centre operated by German firms Rheinmetall and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann , who launched the Lithuania Defence Services facility in Jonava in the summer of 2022.
In the first phase, CanBalt plans to invest roughly 20 million euros in land and infrastructure, with work expected to begin next year.
Once the infrastructure is in place, defence and logistics companies will be able to establish manufacturing plants or other facilities on the site. The company says the park will be developed without state funding, in partnership with firms from the defence, science and industrial sectors.
Infrastructure plans include roads, rail links, energy and communications networks, with potential connections to the Rail Baltica line currently under construction across the Baltic states, as well as new energy solutions.
CanBalt says its project portfolio across the Baltic region is valued at approximately 800 million euros. The park is expected to employ between 200 and 500 people, including high-skilled specialists.
The project is being developed by Canadian investors who have operated in Lithuania for over 20 years through various real estate and investment structures, with four Canadian citizens listed as the ultimate beneficial owners.
Jonava municipality is scheduled to vote on the land rezoning on June 25.
LRT English Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
Read the full article at LRT (English) →
LT