3. Maj (official name: Treći Maj Brodogradilište d.d.; "Third May Shipyard") is the largest shipyard in Croatia, located in the city of Rijeka. It builds mainly oil tankers, bulk cargo ships, and container ships. It also sometimes builds smaller passenger ferries or yachts. It employs approximately 3,250 workers.
The first docks were erected in 1892 as an affiliate to the German Howaldtswerke from Kiel. After their rent expired in 1902, it had low activity until 1905 when three businessmen from Budapest resumed the operation, now under the name Danubius, renamed in 1911 to Ganz&co Danubius. The activity grew throughout the 1910s. In 1920 it passed to Italian possession, and the name was changed once again, to Cantieri Navali part Quarnero.
After World War II, the shipyard was completely destroyed, and basically had to be completely rebuilt. During the war it went under the name Kvarnersko Brodogradilište, and was later named 3. Maj or 3 May, in memory of May 3, 1945 when Rijeka was freed from Axis occupation. 3. Maj grew during the whole post-war period in Yugoslavia to become one of the largest shipyards on the Mediterranean. Before the Yugoslav wars it would employ 4,500 workers at full capacity, but it underwent an economic crisis during the war in Croatia and is still to recover.
