Damen floating exhibition platform
Mobile pontoon impresses visitors to Seawork 2015
Following its debut at Seawork last month, Damen’s new floating exhibition platform is preparing for further events in Northwest Europe, bringing both vessels and equipment designed and manufactured by the Damen Shipyards Group to shows and exhibitions in a unique format.
The platform itself is a Stan Pontoon 4113, measuring 41 metres in length and 13 metres across. With536m² of deck space, at its inaugural event – Seawork, Southampton in early June – it was able to exhibit a Stan Tug, Multi Cat and Stan Patrol vessel, plus a range of other equipment including a mobile Ballast Water Treatment system, a propeller nozzle and an anchor. For those interested in the vessels, they were able for the first time to view them above the waterline, something that was impossible for all the other exhibits at this on-the-water show.
Visitors had easy access from the floating walkway via steps and could then tour the exhibits in perfect safety, walking around the obstacle-free, non-slip deck surrounded by safety rails. Three days of warm sunshine further contributed to making visits to the Damen pontoon a highly pleasurable experience.
Damen UK Sales Manager, Casper Vermeulen, says: “The exhibition platform allows us to show a wider range than before, particularly when it comes to our smaller vessels. And of course, we stand on one of Damen’s own pontoon and barge models. It’s something new for us and we’re grateful to the Seawork organisers for accommodating this innovative approach.”
Ryan Hopkins of Severn Offshore Services commented, “I think the pontoon is a great additionto Seawork.It shows the capabilities of Damen and it shows what they can do in such a short timeframe. They’ve got vessels that you would normally see in the water here, out of the water, and people can get hands-on experience. It also shows the different capabilities of the pumps and nozzles that Damen makes that visitors don’t normally see.”
The pontoon was towed by the Damen-built tug MTS Taktow to Southampton. Over the remainder of the summer the pontoon’s programme will include being part of a Damen client event at Sail Amsterdam 2015 andattending the Green Ocean student recruitment event, also at Sail Amsterdam. She is also expected to be a feature of the World Port Days in Rotterdam. Further dates will be announced in due course.
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.
“Jo”
