A brave new world – Damen pushes through Covid-19 limitations

Damen celebrates keel laying on 75m Crane Barge 7532

A brave new world

DAMEN PUSHES THROUGH COVID-19 LIMITATIONS TO SUCCESSFULLY LAY THE KEEL ON ITS 75M CRANE BARGE.

Dutch shipbuilder Damen has announced the successful keel laying of its 75m Crane Barge 7532. Due to be delivered in Panama once completed, the vessel is currently under construction at Damen Yichang Shipyard in Hubei Province, China. Following construction, the new crane barge will be outfitted with a state-of-the-art crane at Huisman’s Zhangzhou facility, giving it the capability to lift 625 tonnes at 25m.

Although now on schedule, the build has been hampered by the outbreak of coronavirus earlier this year. While the Yichang Shipyard is nearly back to operating at full capacity, strict measures have been put in place by Damen, which employs 13,000 people worldwide, to ensure the health and safety of its workforce.

Adapting and delivering In response to Covid-19, Damen’s engineers are working from home using digital communication to stay in contact, and a robust cleaning and sterilisation programme has been put into effect, including body temperature controls on entering the yard and the observation of safe working distance guidelines. Even Damen’s communication with the Crane Barge client has had to be adapted during this time.

“We are delighted to be part of this important project. It is a real honour for us that this client has placed trust in Damen”, says Damen sales manager Americas Olivier van Papenrecht. “We are confident that the Crane Barge 7532, with its Huisman crane, will serve the client’s needs. The barge has been designed as a high-quality product with safety and reliability top of mind – the ingredients needed to maintain the flow of trade through this internationally important region.”

Scope of work Damen builds a wide range of boats, including tugs, workboats, naval and patrol vessels, high speed craft, cargo vessels, dredgers, vessels for the offshore industry, ferries, pontoons and superyachts. Its focus is on standardisation, modular construction and keeping vessels in stock to realise short delivery times, low ‘total cost of ownership’, high resale values and reliable performance.

In May 2020, Damen delivered its first cutter suction dredger (CSD) 350 to be sold in Brazil. Despite challenges brought by travel restrictions and social distancing, the dismountable dredger was assembled and launched by the customer and commissioned on site with Damen assistance at the Vale Brucutu mine, in Minas Gerais, in the South East of Brazil.

Crane Barge 7532 is an example of the shipbuilder’s endurance. Measuring 75m by 32m, the crane barge has been commissioned to replace a 77-year-old crane still in operation. After the crane installation at Huisman’s Zhangzhou facility, the Crane Barge will cross the Pacific on a heavy lift vessel and arrive at the anchorage area of Balboa in Panama where final tests will be conducted before it enters service.

i. damen.com

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19.03.2020 10:51:19

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