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108 MARKET FOCUS | ROPAX & RORO 109
The large RoPax industry segment saw a peak in demand MANGALIA GETS UNDERWAY STANDARDISED, BUT DIFFERENT
Damen sales director RoPax and RoRo Chiel de Leeuw explains the It is Damen’s intention to offer engineered to order vessels for this
around thirty - forty years ago - roughly the lifespan of this thinking behind Damen’s move into the production of RoPax vessels. segment, due to the many variables experienced by the sector. Huib
oversees product design and definition by translating technical
type of vessel. This means that soon many of these ships will “With this, we are able to fully service this sector,” explains Chiel. “Our requirements from vessel owners into product specifications and by
newbuild activities are added to a portfolio that already includes facilitating the engineering-to-order process. He explains:
be coming to the end of their service and will be earmarked global services and repair, maintenance, refit and conversion, which
means we will now serve our clients throughout the full lifecycle of “Specificity plays a role in preparing each vessel for optimal
for replacement. Damen intends to use its experience their vessels. performance according to the route of its operation. Damen operates
as a full service provider, focussing on developing a better design for a
in shipbuilding, coupled with new facilities to offer the “With our commencing operations in Mangalia, the timing is perfect specific route in order to lower the cost of ownership over the lifetime
for this move. The new facilities are ideal for the construction of of each vessel. With variables such as route length, water depth and
marketplace a superior solution as part of its new Cruise, large, complex RoPax vessels, with docks as wide as 60 metres, a swell, typical weather conditions and tidal forces all contributing to the
total of three graven drydocks, 1.6 kilometres of berthing space and demands on a vessel, set routes can provide some predictability as a
RoPax and Offshore (CRO) division. lots of crane capacity and workshops distributed over approximately basis for calculating the most efficient design for a vessel.”
2
1 million m .”
However, as Chiel explains, this in no way represents a departure from
The new venture has been quick to secure its first contract and the Damen’s philosophy of standardised shipbuilding.
Mangalia yard is all set to begin work on two 148-metre LNG- hybrid
RoRo vessels for Seaspan Ferries Corporation in Canada (for more “For example, we will continue to use standardised processes,
information see page 7). components and propulsion lines, guaranteeing reliable performance
and easy, quick maintainability. So, while the vessel itself may not be
CLE AN CONTR AC TS standard, the construction will be, ensuring efficient production and
“As with many projects that Damen is working on these days, maximum project control.
sustainability is a keen focus on these vessels. They will feature LNG
hybrid propulsion, reducing NO and SO emissions to a minimum, “Damen’s approach to shipbuilding is rooted in standardisation, it’s
X
X
while onboard batteries will optimise energy storage and usage when how we offer a proven concept, cost effectively and with record
the engines are not fully loaded,” states Huib Slings Product Director delivery times.”
RoPax and RoRo. PRODUC T FOCUS
DAMEN The approach Damen is taking to market with its new RoPax and The new team is based at Damen Shipbuilding Rotterdam, in the Port
RoRo initiative, as with cruise and offshore, varies somewhat from its
of Rotterdam, alongside their fellow CRO colleagues.
SCALES UP “The complexity of such large, bespoke projects demands a long- “In order to quickly and effectively establish a presence in the
usual methods of operation also. Instead of its usual geographical
approach with regionally focused commercial managers, with these
segments, Damen is taking a product-centred perspective.
marketplace, we’ve assigned a team to quickly build a network and
a knowledge base. The department will be supported by Damen’s
global infrastructure, synergising knowledge within the Damen
Group and the wider shipbuilding industry.
term focus and the development of an in-depth understanding of the
market and customers business,” explains Chiel.
“Given the nature of the order specifications, each project is
Chiel was well positioned to support the move, having previously time-consuming and requires a lot of project management work,
worked as sales manager for north west Europe where his Scandinavian collaboration and coordination. The process of building each project
focus brought him into contact with numerous ferry projects. together with designers, engineers and customers, is intense and
time-consuming, and requires a certain degree of initial investment.
