Page 20 - Damen Shipyards Group

20 YARD FOCUS | DAMEN SHIPYARDS MANGALIA WORKING AT DAMEN| ERIC MOERKERK 21

WORKING AT DAMEN

ERIC MOERKERK

“WE ARE MAKING OUR BUSINESS MORE SUSTAINABLE BY MANAGING DIRECTOR AT MAASKANT SHIPYARDS

INVESTING AND EXPANDING INTO NEW ACTIVITIES,”

Eric Moerkerk was appointed managing director of Damen
3 IMMENSE and big fl oaters for the offshore wind industry. 1,850 people, we want to recruit a further 500 following fourteen months as deputy director. “One of the best
Maaskant Shipyards Stellendam (DMSS) in September 2018,
to 1,000 in the next year, and we could end up
Chris says, “DSMa’s large drydocks and
things about working for Damen is that it is a family company,”
DRYDOCKS
outstanding facilities and workforce enable
with between 3,000 and 5,000 employees. In a
us to build, maintain, repair, refi t and convert
town of 40,000, we’re very much at the heart
larger, more complex and higher-end vessels
more collegiate, friendly atmosphere and much less top-down
DOCK 1 302 X 48 m | 9 m deep and structures. We’re currently investing in and of the community.” says Eric. “While results are of course important it has a much
320 X 48 m | 18 m deep optimising the shipyard to seize all our new
DOCK 2 To help meet its recruitment targets, DSMa direction. My previous employer was a publicly-quoted company
DOCK 3 360 X 60 m | 13 m deep opportunities, particularly for bespoke, high is increasing cooperation with vocational and the culture was tough and far more short-term, focused
GREAT FOR SERVICING added value projects.” colleges in Mangalia and across Romania. The
3 EIFFELTOWERS company operates an on-site training centre on the financials. Here, the senior management team is highly

AT A TIME. and provides dormitory accommodation if
3 needed by trainees and employees. approachable and communications are generally very good both
OR STORING YOUR 10,158 OVERHEAD EUROPEAN MARKETS ways, again because of the feeling that the company is itself a
40 FOOT CONTAINERS. CRANES DSMa is already benefi ting from Damen’s family and everyone can talk to anyone else.
300 m CAPACITY UP TO global sales network and reputation for
1,000 TONNES
EASILY LIFT 6 effi ciency and quality. Current projects include
BOEING 747
Damen’s fi rst venture in Romania was Damen AIRPLANES. the construction of the hull of the CEMEX Go “Being the managing director here at DMSS feels rather like running
Shipyards Galati (DSGa), which joined the MOVING Innovation, the fi rst of Damen’s new design of the business as an owner,” he continues. “I am trusted to get on
group in 1999. Situated in the east of the CRANES: Marine Aggregate Dredgers. Recently DSMa
WITH A
country, 230 kilometres north of Mangalia and CAPACITY 120 produced 1,400 tonnes of steel assemblies for with keeping the yard busy and making it a success. We know what
TONNES
on the banks of the River Danube, DSGa is 1 3 UP TO the drilling rig Stena Don, which was refi tted at is expected of us and everyone gives their best because they feel
fully owned and operated by Damen. DSGa is Damen Verolme in Rotterdam.
another large site, covering 55 hectares, has a Before heading up DSMa, Mr Groninger they are integral to the business. I treat my colleagues at the yard in
workforce of 2,500 and builds a wide variety of was managing director of Damen Song Cam “We’re particularly well placed to serve clients the same way, trusting them to fulfil their roles while my job is more

complex vessels. Shipyard in Haiphong, Vietnam, and before in Europe,” says Mr Groninger. “We offer
that, fi nancial director at Damen Shipyards competitive costs, quality, reliability and the long-term planning and general oversight.
NEW FOCUS Gorinchem. Mr Groninger says, “In contrast fl exibility – and we use European steel. In fact
With Damen at the helm, the yard plans to to many Damen locations – including Damen our steelwork can be tracked and traced in both
continue its current repair activities. The yard Song Cam – where standard vessels are the directions to the steel mill and to the individual “We are in interesting times. The market is uncertain, not least
traditionally services the Greek fl eet, not only norm, we will build one-offs at DSMa. These welder. Whatever the vessel or structure with Brexit and the uncertainty it generates, particularly for the
with regular repair and maintenance jobs, will be highly complex vessels, with concurrent involved, and whatever the client’s specifi c
but also with refi ts like scrubber retrofi tting, engineering and production activities.” requirements, we can do everything here.” fi shermen, who are important customers for us. They cannot
DSMa will focus on the construction of invest until they know where they will be able to fi sh and that has
,000
cruise, large RoRo/RoPax ferries and offshore SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS
vessels. The intention is to provide all services As with other Damen shipyards, DSMa is an impact on the yard. There is also uncertainty over the future
on site, including production engineering, committed to minimising its ecological impact 1 of pulse fi shing which a lot of our customers use. This is also
procurement, steel processing, outfi tting and and has ISO 14001:2015 environmental
commissioning. management certifi cation. This is affecting many of our clients, particularly the smaller ones. The
complemented by its ISO 9001:2015 quality workboat maintenance sector is going well, however. Another
In addition and as elsewhere in the Damen management and OHSAS 18001:2007 HIGHLY SKILLED
Shipyards Group, there is great scope for occupational health and safety certifi cation, of my priorities is the fact that more than 35 of our colleagues
newbuild and refi t projects aimed at complying and all are based on processes of employee EMPLOYEES are over 60 years old, so we are keen to recruit new staff. Our
READY TO location is rather remote, particularly for young people who prefer
with stricter maritime emissions regulations. involvement and continual improvement.
Moreover, DSMa will also focus on the “We are making our business more sustainable the cities, but we hope to attract them to this pleasant corner of
construction of offshore structures, both for the by investing and expanding into new DOCK VESSELS
oil & gas industry developing in the Black Sea activities,” says Mr Groninger. “Tourism and UP TO 360 the Netherlands.”
and especially for the offshore wind industry our shipyard are the two main economic
in Western Europe. These structures include drivers in Mangalia, so it’s important we METRES
jackets, monopiles, all kinds of subsea structures succeed and thrive long term. We employ OR 184 TUGS IF YOU PREFER..