Page 100 - Damen Shipyards Group

100 SHIPREPAIR & CONVERSION | HARBOUR & VOYAGE ON THE MOVE 101

GOING PLACES

DAMEN‘S HARBOUR &

VOYAGE IS ON THE MOVE “Our employee is a particular sort of person,” he states. Logistical planning at a whole new level

“With a different set of characteristics to someone Once established, these new teams will continue the
yard-based. It’s absolutely critical that our people are good work for which Harbour & Voyage Repair has
team players. They must think and work like a team, become so renowned.
always. We need good communicators. More than that,
particularly at the moment, when he have not reached “The majority of the work we do is steel work, largely
our full geographical potential, we need people who hull repairs, but this is changing also and our work
are comfortable working within an extremely dynamic can be very varied, including engine failure, HVAC
environment. We are responding – quickly – to work, almost anything, really. The biggest difference
projects all over the world. with conventional repair of course, is that the work
Damen’s Harbour & Voyage Repair service, a part of Damen is carried out in the water, which presents its own
“To say we are looking for people who are prepared to challenges. We have to work with divers quite often.
Shiprepair & Conversion, has, despite beginning operations in travel is an understatement. We are looking for people The most interesting cases are often those that take
who are prepared to travel, at a moment’s notice and place on a vessel that is underway.”
2015, a long history. When Damen purchased Van de Wetering almost continually. Things can change at any minute in
our world. Effectively, we are an emergency service and Cruise ship repair projects are challenging at the best
Port Repair four years ago, the business had been in operation for we need people who are up for adventure.” of times; they require a precision approach to logistics
Trust is a word Jozeph uses a lot when describing his in order to get the vessel underway again on time for its
135 years. The tradition carries on today, with the experienced people. “Trust is very important in our environment. We next scheduled call, with work usually taking place with
have to be able to give people the responsibility to own crew resident on board. Harbour & Voyage Repair have
employees of the company continuing to work for Damen Harbour the work they are doing and have full confi dence that taken this to another level.
they will do it safely and to the highest possible standard.”
& Voyage Repair. “A recent project saw us undertaking the refurbishment of
Where in the world the air-conditioning system of two cruise ships, while they
The entity’s plan for growth, he says, includes reducing were embarked on a cruise, fi lled with passengers. The
its current 24-hour response time by setting up at logistics of undertaking this work, in literally thousands of
strategic locations around the world. These locations cabins, whilst avoiding interruption to the cruise itinerary
will be served by teams combining existing project really called on precision planning. Like I say, we need to
management with local labour, thereby facilitating an work together as a team at all times!”
Breaking out of the Lowlands fact that Damen had an extensive sales effective operation alongside the further development
Traditionally, the company focused its network that enabled us to quickly set of the maritime industry in these key areas. Seeking sustainability
attention on its local region – conducting up a new commercial department. This, “The idea is to set up mobile installations at strategic A further stimulus for the expansion of the service
the vast majority of its work in the ARA combined with Van de Wetering’s existing locations, notably where these is already a Damen is the increasing awareness of sustainability in the
– Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp – client, agent and port network, proved to presence – a Service Hub or repair yard for example, maritime industry. Here, Harbour & Voyage Repair
area. “That’s still true of today, actually,” be a formidable engine for growth.” or a concentration of Damen clients. We’ve conducted fi nds synergy within the Damen Shipyards Group –
points out Managing Director Jozeph in-depth analysis of this and established the areas working closely with Damen Green Solutions on
Quak. Jozeph also has a long history in And so it was; Damen Harbour & Voyage where we could position ourselves to help our clients projects related to ballast water treatment systems
port repair, having worked in the fi eld Repair, in the four years of its operation to better.” and the installation of scrubbers.
for Damen in Den Helder for many years date, has experienced average growth of
before the establishment of the dedicated approximately 85%. “This summer we will be active in Curaçao and the “This is defi nitely a growth area for the future and one
Harbour & Voyage Repair service. American regions. We expect Harbour & Voyage to that we are well positioned to serve. In our team we
“We’ve not fi nished, not by a long shot,” also grow rapidly in these areas.” have a number of GRE specialists able to conduct work
“The ARA still counts for 80% of the continues Jozeph. “But we have to take on scrubber piping installations. Now, with Damen
work we do. But that’s changing.” The care that our growth is structured. We Ready for adventure Not surprisingly, these tend to be areas where is a high Shipyards Mangalia, we are looking to train local
change, he says, was kick-started when have to take the time to do things in a This, he explains, involves numerous volume of maritime traffi c close to land – the Straits of workers in Romania in this work so that they can serve
the company became a part of the Damen good way, making sure we set ourselves factors, amongst which is identifying fi rst Gibraltar, for example, or the Panama Canal. the Mediterranean and Black Sea region, playing their
Shipyards Group. “Becoming part of up in a controlled manner with a long-term the right sort of professional employee. part in delivering the emissions reductions demanded
Damen has been absolutely crucial for view on the future.” Jozeph has a clear vision when it comes “We already see an increase in activity outside our by the industry for the future.”
the development of this service. For one to the type of person he is looking for traditional ARA area of operations. We’ve carried out
thing, there’s the name – everyone knows to work for Damen’s Harbour & Voyage projects in Argentina, France, Lithuania and South
the Damen name. It stands for reliable Repair service. Africa recently, for example and we already have a
on-time project execution. It stands for presence in the Middle East where we have worked
good practice in HSEQ. There’s also the closely with our colleagues at Albwardy Damen.”