Loading in Ha Long Bay
Damen’s largest ever stock-vessel transport began in Shanghai
The Damen Shipyards Group is shipping a total of 22 vessels from several Damen shipyards aboard the heavy-lift vessel Happy Star. This is Damen’s largest transportation of stock vessels to date. Upon arrival in Europe later this month, the completed vessels will be ready for immediate sale and can swiftly be put into operation.
Damen has already sold a number of the vessels being transported. Amongst these are two Fast Crew Suppliers (FCS) 2610 to be used at North Sea offshore wind parks. The transport is a welcome opportunity to accommodate the requirements of clients on the west coasts of Africa and Europe looking for smaller tugs and pontoons. By having a global spread of strategic stock available, Damen always ensures short delivery times of popular vessels.
The scope of the transport was derived with a close eye on the needs of clients in Scandinavia, Western Europe and Africa. Rimmert Berlijn, Damen Service Coordinator Heavy Lift, explains: “We took a lot of time to carefully consider what vessel types we would transport, and in what numbers, in order to best serve the requirements of a wide range of clients.”
Departure from Singapore
Following the initial loud-out and embarkation from Shanghai, the transport made calls at the Vietnamese ports of Hai Phong and Da Nang and at Singapore to collect additional vessels. Included in the transport are Damen ASD Tugs 2310, 2411 and 3212, Stan Tugs 1606, 1004 and 1907, Stan Pontoons 5213 and 3011 and the above mentioned FCS 2610 vessels.
As a result of this large-scale, multiple vessel transport, clients active in various industries such as fish farming, heavy lifting, contracting work, harbour assistance and dredging will benefit from reduced shipping costs.
The Damen stock-vessels are ready for operation, though they can still be outfitted with client specific options. Upon arrival in Europe, the vessels will receive final touch-ups and cleaning before delivery to clients or distribution to various Damen shipyards.
Departure from Shanghai
Damen Service Coordinator Deliveries John Slijkoord explained Damen’s selection of BigLift for the project, saying, “As soon as we got the completed scope we put it out on the market with our requirements– BigLift met all of these.” The heavy-lift specialist operates a fleet of fifteen vessels. Happy Star is equipped with two 900 tonne heavy-lift mast cranes, 3, 280 m2 of unobstructed deck space, and a weather deck with pontoon hatch covers extending the full length of the ship.
Damen Shipyards Group
Damen Shipyards Group operates 32 shipbuilding and repair yards, employing 9, 000 people worldwide. Damen has delivered more than 5, 000 vessels in more than 100 countries and delivers some 160 vessels annually to customers worldwide. Based on its unique, standardised ship-design concept Damen is able to guarantee consistent quality.
Damen’s focus on standardisation, modular construction and keeping vessels in stock leads to short delivery times, low ‘total cost of ownership’, high resale values and reliable performance. Furthermore, Damen vessels are based on thorough R&D and proven technology.
Damen offers a wide range of products, including tugs, workboats, naval and patrol vessels, high speed craft, cargo vessels, dredgers, vessels for the offshore industry, ferries, pontoons and superyachts.
For nearly all vessel types Damen offers a broad range of services, including maintenance, spare parts delivery, training and the transfer of (shipbuilding) know-how. Damen also offers a variety of marine components, such as nozzles, rudders, anchors, anchor chains and steel works.
In addition to ship design and shipbuilding, Damen Shiprepair & Conversion has a worldwide network of 15 repair and conversion yards with dry docks ranging up to 420 x 80 metres. Conversion projects range from adapting vessels to today’s requirements and regulations to the complete conversion of large offshore structures. DSC completes around 1, 500 repair and maintenance jobs annually.
