Page 10 - Damen Shipyards Group

10 UPDATES WORKING AT DAMEN | BENNY BHALI 11

WORKING AT DAMEN

BENNY BHALI

SALES & MARKETING EXECUTIVE @ DSCT

Damen Shipyards Cape Town aims to provide turnkey solutions for
clients in Africa, says Benny Bhali, sales and marketing executive at
DSCT. Over the last 12 years, the yard has built over 30 vessels for
Africa. Benny outlines DSCT’s philosophy: “We are building vessels
Damen Shipyards Mangalia holds keel-laying for CEMEX Go Innovation in Africa for Africa. We want to support African shipowners in

creating a sustainable, successful business.”
Towards the end of 2018, Damen Particular attention has been paid to
held a keel-laying ceremony for the sustainability, safety and performance.
CEMEX Go Innovation at Damen The MAD will extract sand and gravel
Shipyards Mangalia in Romania. The from the seabed at up to -55 metres. Benny: “Damen is a centre of knowledge and innovation. DSCT
vessel is the fi rst Damen MAD – the
next generation of marine aggregate The keel-laying was the fi rst to often provides advice to companies about projects. Before they are
dredgers. take place since Damen began the
operational management of the a Damen customer and tendering for a project they come to us.”
Damen has designed the future- shipyard now known as Damen
proof vessel for long-lasting Shipyards Mangalia in July this year.
durability for operations in North Sea DSCT’s efforts led to an initiative to launch annual dredging and
conditions over the coming decades.
fi shing seminars. The Africa Ship Leasing Fund also shows how
Damen supports local businesses. “The fund helps customers

provide sustainable employment and develop long-term
businesses.”

Damen also supports the South African Government’s local content
requirements, far exceeding the required 60%.

The shipyard has its own Training Academy and participates in the
government’s ‘YES’ youth development programme, employing
young artisans from previously disadvantaged communities and
¡VAMOS! Irish demo success training them through the apprentice programme. Currently, DSCT

DSNS sponsors SAIL 201 On the 24 of October the ¡VAMOS! one of the main industrial partners is increasing employee numbers due to the prestigious Multi Mission
th
technology Demonstration Day within the ¡VAMOS! Consortium Inshore Patrol Vessel project, where it will deliver three Stan Patrol
Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding Wijk (the Financial Director of SAIL took place at the Magcobar fl ooded designed and built the launch &
(DSNS) will be a major sponsorship 2020) signed the sponsorship partner mine pit, in Silvermines, Ireland. recovery vessel, plus the slurry system 6211 vessels for the South African Navy. Benny emphasises: “We are
partner, a Fan, of SAIL Amsterdam agreement at the National Maritime In total 85 visitors participated in on board of the mining vehicle.
2020, the biggest nautical event in Museum (Scheepvaartmuseum) in the fi eld demonstration to raise very proud to be participating in such a project.”
the world. Held every five years in the Amsterdam. awareness of the innovative nature “The ¡VAMOS! team have successfully
Dutch capital, an entire flotilla of tall of the ¡VAMOS! technology with demonstrated their ability to use the
ships dock in Amsterdam alongside Some of the sailing vessels built stakeholders and local communities. prototype mining system in very hard
many specialist vessels, and hundreds at Damen may well be shown at rock. State-of-the-art electronics Benny is certainly positive about future prospects. “This continent
of thousands of visitors come to enjoy the event such as the clipper Stad Featuring a total of sixteen partners and visualisation have been used to
the spectacle. This maritime feast for Amsterdam; in 2005, 2010 and from nine EU countries, ¡VAMOS! control the operations. All this was has so much potential. We can help companies grow and partner
the eye sails along the River IJ before 2015 the flagship of SAIL. And most seeks to address the EU’s need for done with great consciousness and them on their journey.
docking in the heart of the city. probably the three-masted, square raw materials, by making possible care for safety, the environment and
rigged clipper Cisne Branco and the the extraction of mineral deposits involvement of local stakeholders,”
Managing Director of Damen three-masted steel clipper Shabab from inland water-bearing areas. To said Sander Steenbrink, general
Schelde Naval Shipbuilding, Hein van Oman II will be present. The Royal reach this aim, the partners have manager corporate research and “DSCT adds value for our clients. Customers are not just buying a ship,
Ameijden and two representatives of Netherlands Navy is also expected developed a system whereby a development at Boskalis and
the SAIL Beheer management board to be present at SAIL 2020 with large remotely operated mining vehicle is Advisory Board member for the but a creative solution. We support our customers throughout the
Michiel de Brauw (CFO of the Port navy ships, some of which have been launched from a waterborne carriage. ¡VAMOS! Project.
of Amsterdam) and Jan Peter van engineered and built by DSNS. Damen Dredging Equipment, being whole lifecycle of the vessel, we are with them for the long-haul!”