Damen Group


The Damen Group is a Dutch defence, shipbuilding, and engineering conglomerate company based in Gorinchem, Netherlands.
Though it is a major international group doing business in 120 countries, it remains a private family-owned company.
Damen Shipyards Group is a globally operating company with more than 50 shipyards, repair yards, and related companies − as well as numerous partner yards that can build Damen vessels locally. Since 1969 it has designed and built more than 5,000 vessels and delivers over 150 vessels annually. With over 30 shipyards and related companies worldwide, Damen is involved in ship construction as well as maintenance and repair activities. It has a wide product range, including warships, patrol craft, tugs, workboats, cargo vessels, dredgers, superyachts and fast ferries. Product design and engineering are carried out in-house and a broad range of designs are available.

History

Overview

Damen was established in 1927 in the town of Hardinxveld-Giessendam in the Netherlands by Jan and Marinus Damen. The two brothers ran a successful, mainly Dutch-oriented, shipyard for decades. Over the years they managed to build up a small, but loyal customer-base. Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld, located about 10 km from the Damen Group headquarters in Gorinchem, still exists today. It is specialised in designing and building workboats, especially 'multi cats' and shoalbusters. In 1969 Jan Damen's son, Kommer Damen, took over.
In July 2023, Damen Marine Components was awarded a contract by Wärtsilä to provide steering equipment for two landing platform docks that will be built at ASMAR for the Chilean Navy.

World Bank debarment

On March 16, 2016, the World Bank Group announced its debarment of Damen Shipyards Gorinchem for 18 months. World Bank stated that the "company engaged in a fraudulent practice under the West Africa Regional Fisheries Program" The sanction followed an agreement between the World Bank and Damen Shipyards Gorinchem, hence a reduced debarment of 18 months, as stated : "Damen has cooperated with the World Bank’s investigation and has taken remedial action, including strengthening its corporate compliance program."

Statistics

Key figures and statistics for Damen Shipyards Group in/as of 2015 include:
Annual turnover: 2.1 billion Euros
Damen Shipyard Group: 32 shipyards worldwide
  • The Netherlands: 14
  • Abroad: 18
Employees: 9,000 worldwide
  • The Netherlands: 3,000
  • International: 6,000
Annual deliveries 2015: 180 vessels
  • Tugs and workboats: 82
  • Offshore vessels: 8
  • High speed craft and ferries: 62
  • Pontoons and barges: 10
  • Dredging and special craft: 15
  • Naval and yachts: 5
  • Stock hulls: >200
Total number of deliveries since 1969:
  • 6,000 ships
Key figures: Damen Ship Repair and Conversion, 2015
Annual turnover : 500 million EUR
Damen Ship Repair and Conversion: 15 yards in 6 countries
  • 40 dry docks
  • Largest dock is 420 x 80 m
Employees: 1,500
  • Delivered projects : >1,500 repair, maintenance, refit and conversion projects

    Divisions

  • Damen Shipyards Gorinchem — in Gorinchem, an independent member of the Damen Shipyards Group.
  • Royal Schelde; Warship division.
  • Amels Division; Superyacht division, based in Vlissingen and part of Damen Group since 1991.

    Products

Warships

Currently produced

  • Frigates:
  • *
  • *Anti-Submarine Warfare Frigate class
  • Corvettes:
  • *
  • Patrol vessel
  • *Crossovers
  • *Stan patrol vessel
  • *Military:
  • **OPV 1800, OPV 2200, OPV 2600
  • *Coast guard:
  • **OPV 1400, OPV 1800, OPV 2400, OPV 9014
  • *FCS 4008 , Romanian Border Police
  • *Interceptors:
  • **Interceptor 3007, Interceptor 1503 FRP, Interceptor 1102 FRP
  • *Military RHIB
  • Amphibious:
  • *Landing Platform Docks Enforcer
  • *Landing vessels:
  • **Landing ships
  • **ESB1604 /
  • *Assault crafts:
  • **FAC 1604
  • Support vessels
  • *Den Helder class
  • *LSS 9000
  • *''LSS 11000''

    Produced in the past

  • Frigates:
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Patrol boats:
  • *
  • * Warrior class inshore patrol vessel
  • Amphibious transport docks:
  • *
  • Support ships
  • * Karel Doorman class
  • *
  • *
  • Training vessels
  • *
  • Research vessels:
  • *
  • *
  • Tugboats:
  • *

    In development

  • drone-carrying Multi-Purpose Support Ship
  • * MPSS 7000
  • Replenishment oiler:
  • *Den Helder class
  • Frigates:
  • *Anti Submarine Warfare Frigate
  • *MKS 180

    Freighters

  • Container ships
  • Tankers
  • Heavy-lift ship
  • Cargo ship

    Passenger ships

  • Catamarans — MV Chinook
  • Ropax ferries — & MV ''Legionnaire''

    Superyachts

  • Mining

  • ''Benguela Gem''

    Customers

US Coast Guard

The US Coast Guard Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter long, and capable of speeds of over is based on the Damen 4708 design, and will be built by the Bollinger Shipyards of Lockport, Louisiana. The firm fixed-price contract for the first ship is worth €88m ; the approximate maximum value of the contract, if all options are exercised for a total of 34 patrol boats, is €1.5 billion over a period of between six and eight years.

Canadian Coast Guard

On September 2, 2009, the Ministry of Public Works and Government Services of Canada announced that nine mid-shore patrol ships based on a 'Canadianized' version of the Damen Stan Patrol 4207 would be built by Irving Shipbuilding in Halifax, Nova Scotia for use by the Canadian Coast Guard in conjunction with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans had originally wanted twelve patrol craft.

De Beers Marine Namibia

In 2019, Damen Shipyards was hired by De Beers Marine Namibia to build a 177 meter diamond mining vessel, which would be the largest of its kind, for $468 million. The vessel was completed in 2022 and named Benguela Gem. It is used for subsea diamond extraction from depths of between 90 and 150 meters off the coast of Namibia. The diamonds are then processed using the vessel's onboard equipment.

Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard

operates three Damen Stan Patrol 4100 vessels.

Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) Coast Guard

On October 27, 2005, the JDF Coast Guard commissioned HMJS Cornwall, the first of three Damen 4207 vessels. The second County-class vessel, HMJS Middlesex, was commissioned on April 7, 2006. The third and final vessel, HMJS Surrey, was commissioned on June 26, 2007. The vessels are dubbed County class as they are named after the three counties of Jamaica.
On June 25, 2020, the JDF Coast Guard commissioned HMJS Nanny of the Maroons, a Damen FCS 5009 Cutter. The vessel is named after the Jamaican National Hero Nanny of the Maroons.

Hong Kong Marine Police

The Marine Region of the Hong Kong Police Force is having Stan 2600 patrol boats built by Damen.
Damen Mk I boats were used in Hong Kong and now retired after Keka-class patrol boats were delivered.

Ecuadorian Coast Guard

In November 2011 the Ecuadorian Coast Guard ordered Damen Stan 2606 patrol vessels, to be built in Ecuador by Astinave.

Vietnam Coast Guard / Vietnam Maritime search and Rescue Coordination Center

Damen Group has already delivered some Damen Stan 4207 patrol vessels for search and rescue missions managed by the Vietnam Maritime search and Rescue Coordination Center under the Vietnam National Maritime Bureau and reporting to the Ministry of Transport.
The Vietnam Coast Guard also cooperated with Damen Group to build large vessels with Dutch
license, such as one offshore patrol vessel 9014, one hydrographic survey vessel 6613, four salvage tugs 6412. These vessels will be built in Vietnam by the Song Thu company.

Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard

Damen Group has already delivered 3 of 12 vessels purchased by the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard. A coastal patrol vessel CG 25, interceptor and supply vessels were delivered in July to strengthen border security and stop the illegal flow of guns, ammunition and drugs into the country.

Group companies

Damen is a large group. Some of the group companies are: