Damen Shipyards Galati has been presented with the Dutch Romanian Business Award for its Corporate Social Responsibility plan, particularly the Group’s community investment initiatives. The Award was presented by Ben Jager of the Dutch Romanian Network to Peter de Kiewit, Damen Sales Manager for Romania at the PSV Eindhoven football club stadium. The jury presented the Award in recognition of Damen’s positive contribution to the social development of the region and the stimulating effect its activities have on the commercial relations between the Netherlands and Romania, the company said in its press release.
Damen Shipyards Galati’s initiatives include a recruitment and career development programme for students from the Naval Architecture Faculty of “Dunărea de Jos” Galaţi University and from vocational schools in the town.
This programme aims to get students prepared for a future profession in a shipyard and gives them access to material and human resources for career development.
Damen Shipyards Group is believed to be the largest Dutch investor in Romania. In a five-year plan running through to 2016, the Dutch shipyard group is planning to invest a staggering €83 million.
In 2014 alone, Damen has invested €4.5 million. This has included two underwater, plasma-cutting machines, replacement cranes, new tools and equipment and internal transport development. As well as this, the company embarked on a three-year programme to reduce energy consumption and it will be improving and replacing the power system at the Romanian shipyard in a five-year initiative.
Additionally, three new painting halls are being built in a €6.5 million, three-year programme. In the future a new covered hall will be constructed and the main crane, which has a capacity of 320 tonnes, will be upgraded. Damen will also invest in renewing the transport infrastructure.
Becoming part of the Group in 1999, the Romanian shipyard, which is on the banks of the River Danube, is the largest of the 32 yards in the Damen Shipyards Group and it is one of the most state-of-the-art facilities.
Employing some 1,600 people, Damen builds a wide portfolio of vessels from innovative vessels, like the ASD Tug 2810 Hybrid, through to some of the largest vessels in the range such as Offshore Support Vessels and the Joint Support Ship for the Royal Netherlands Navy.
Recently, Damen delivered a new Damen Stan Tug 1606 to Romanian company Logistic Remo Services in Constantza. “This was great to see that Romanian companies are making investments for the future. Even while the economic situation is tough, Logistic Remo Services has decided to invest in a brand new tug,” emphasises Mr de Kiewit.
Damen will also launch the LNG-propelled Damen EcoLiner inland vessel, which has an air-lubricated hull, in June. This pioneering vessel is ideally suited for operating along the River Danube and it is not only a clean vessel, with very low emissions, it is extremely cost effective, reducing fuel costs dramatically. “We are thinking along with our clients. We know the inland shipping sector is having a tough time; this vessel is a solution for reducing costs and cutting emissions.”