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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
 with between 3,000 and 5,000 employees. In a
 outstanding facilities and workforce enable
 of the community.”
 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  us to build, maintain, repair, refi t and convert   town of 40,000, we’re very much at the heart   says Eric. “While results are of course important it has a much
 and structures. We’re currently investing in and
    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..
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