left to right: Marcel Karsijns (Director Civil & Modular Constructions, Damen Shipyards Gorinchem), Douglas Pearlson (Founder, Pearlson Shiplift Corporation)
The Damen Shipyards Group and Pearlson Shiplift Corporation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for close cooperation between the two companies in the design and execution of shiplift projects around the world. The collaboration is set to bring benefits to the clients of both companies in the optimisation of the design and realisation of shipyard facilities.
The MOU brings together the capabilities of two well-established, family-owned companies.
Taking account of the expertise of Pearlson Shiplift Corporation as the original inventor and developer of Syncrolift® technology, the Pearlson team will provide the design and engineering knowledge required by Damen during a shipyard construction project. Pearlson Shiplift Corporation will also deliver all the critical shiplift components. “This includes all the vertical lifting equipment – the hoists – and the wire ropes, ” informs Pearlson Shiplift Corporation Director Bryan Fraind. “As well as the motor controls and load monitoring system, which are the ‘brains’ of the entire shiplift.
“Damen will provide all the steel and associated civil works including the lifting platform and cradles and, of course, the project management.”
Shiplift facility
Damen’s civil skills
The MOU involves Damen Civil, a part of Damen Shipyards Group. Offering maritime construction services at a worldwide level, the Damen Civil portfolio comprises the entire process of shipyard construction – from consultancy and design, all the way through to civil works and the supply of equipment, tools and training.
Building shipyards around the world, one of Damen Civil’s key principles is to combine global operating standards with local employment. This yields vital transfer of knowledge and skills for the long-term development of local economies.
Firm heritage
Pearlson Shiplift Corporation’s origins began in 1957 when Raymond Pearlson invented and built the first Syncrolift® shiplift. After many successful years developing this pioneering technology and building up a dedicated global service network, Raymond Pearlson sold the company in 1979. In the meantime the size and capacity of Syncrolift® shiplifts worldwide continued to grow.
Responding to service requests from original clients around the world, the business continued with the founding of Pearlson Shiplift Corporation by Raymond Pearlson’s son, Douglas.
Pearlson Shiplift Corporation draws on an innovative and successful past in continuing the family tradition. The company offers design, manufacturing and support services for both new and existing shiplift and transfer systems worldwide.
Family values
“It makes a lot of sense for our two companies to work together – there really is a natural fit between Pearlson and Damen, ” continues Mr Fraind. “And not only in terms of our products. We are both family-owned companies with similar backgrounds and work methods.”
“This really is a marriage of two companies, both leading experts in their specific fields, ” states Damen Director Civil & Modular Constructions Marcel Karsijns. “The Pearlson name is a renowned and respected name in the modern shiplifting industry. It is a significant benefit to include shiplifting expertise into our range of shipyard projects.”
“However, this is not only a significant cooperation between two partners. This unique cooperation will ultimately bring major benefits to both our clients. In this case, 1 plus 1 really does equal 3.”
Pearlson Shiplift Corporation
Pearlson Shiplift Corporation is a full service company, dedicated solely to providing the design, manufacturing and support for both new and existing shiplift and transfer system installations worldwide.
Douglas Pearlson, former President of Pearlson Engineering Company, founded the company. Douglas Pearlson’s father, Raymond Pearlson, is the inventor of the Syncrolift® shiplift system, over 50 years ago.
The company’s team of shiplift and transfer system engineers and technical support staff have been involved in over 230 installations in over 60 countries ranging from car ferry ramps to 25, 000 ton capacity shiplifts and transfer systems.
In addition to designing and supplying new shiplifts and transfer systems, Pearlson Shiplift Corporation provides ongoing service and support to more than 150 of the 200+ Syncrolift® shiplift systems active today around the world.
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 180 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.
