Deliveries provide significant uplift in capability in the region
Following a 26-day voyage across the North Atlantic, two floating docks have arrived at Damen Shiprepair Curaçao (DSCu) in the southern Caribbean, fulfilling the promise given by Damen to the government of Curaçao when it took over the yard in 2017.
The two docks were delivered by the heavy-lift carrier Xin Guang Hua to the Port of Willemstad on April 26.
The larger of the two is a Panamax-class dock measuring 230 meters by 45 meters for tankers, box ships and other large vessels, while the smaller dock measures 108 meters by 23 meters and is ideal for all kinds of tugs, work boats and offshore support and anchor handling vessels.
The unloading in Santa Anna Bay was delayed due to strong winds that initially prevented the safe passage of the 98,000 DWT Xin Guang Hua under the Queen Juliana bridge.
Afloat, works to the internal compartments of the docks need to be completed, with some of the ballast tanks requiring blasting, painting and repairing to make them ready for operations. Meanwhile, dredging contractor Van Oord will dredge the seabed beneath the docks’ final position over the next six to eight weeks and piles will be driven in the same area to allow the construction of the dolphins required to moor and operate the docks safely.
Ashore, preparations are under way to set up the necessary infrastructure to support the docks, including improvements to the electrical, gas and air supply. Plans have been approved for a building to house the service departments and welding machines and provide training facilities to broaden the skills of the workforce.
“We plan more investment in the years ahead,” said Lodewijk Franken, DSCu managing director. “This will focus on the further improvement of our facilities, equipment and tools, as well as ongoing in-house training to broaden the abilities of our personnel and make them multi-skilled. These initiatives, along with our floating docks, will provide a significant boost to the yard and even now our sales team is in discussions with a number of companies regarding a wide variety of vessels ranging from a local research vessel to tugs, small cruise ships and OSVs.
“We also plan to support regional naval vessels, including those of the Royal Dutch Navy, and with the support of a Damen Services team, the yard will provide maintenance and repair services to Damen-built tugs and workboats operating in the region,” Franken said.
The two docks were delivered by the heavy-lift carrier Xin Guang Hua to the Port of Willemstad on April 26.
The larger of the two is a Panamax-class dock measuring 230 meters by 45 meters for tankers, box ships and other large vessels, while the smaller dock measures 108 meters by 23 meters and is ideal for all kinds of tugs, work boats and offshore support and anchor handling vessels.
The unloading in Santa Anna Bay was delayed due to strong winds that initially prevented the safe passage of the 98,000 DWT Xin Guang Hua under the Queen Juliana bridge.
Afloat, works to the internal compartments of the docks need to be completed, with some of the ballast tanks requiring blasting, painting and repairing to make them ready for operations. Meanwhile, dredging contractor Van Oord will dredge the seabed beneath the docks’ final position over the next six to eight weeks and piles will be driven in the same area to allow the construction of the dolphins required to moor and operate the docks safely.
Ashore, preparations are under way to set up the necessary infrastructure to support the docks, including improvements to the electrical, gas and air supply. Plans have been approved for a building to house the service departments and welding machines and provide training facilities to broaden the skills of the workforce.
“We plan more investment in the years ahead,” said Lodewijk Franken, DSCu managing director. “This will focus on the further improvement of our facilities, equipment and tools, as well as ongoing in-house training to broaden the abilities of our personnel and make them multi-skilled. These initiatives, along with our floating docks, will provide a significant boost to the yard and even now our sales team is in discussions with a number of companies regarding a wide variety of vessels ranging from a local research vessel to tugs, small cruise ships and OSVs.
“We also plan to support regional naval vessels, including those of the Royal Dutch Navy, and with the support of a Damen Services team, the yard will provide maintenance and repair services to Damen-built tugs and workboats operating in the region,” Franken said.
