Damen delivers RoRo ferry to the Gambia more than a month ahead of schedule

Damen has delivered a road ferry to a client in the Gambia more than a month ahead of schedule. The ferry was built entirely in the Netherlands to a very tight deadline, with the hull constructed in just 70 days at Damen’s subsidiary Niron Staal in Amsterdam. The outfitting was then carried out at Damen Shipyards Gorinchem, the company said in its press release.

Operating from Banjul, the Gambian capital, to Barra, across the mouth of the Gambia River estuary, the passenger and vehicle ferry is designed with a very flexible layout where it can be reconfigured from passenger and vehicle transportation to passenger only – with a maximum of 2,000 persons.

This function makes it ideal to facilitate passenger transport during local celebration days.
 
Damen Sales Manager Africa, Peter Post comments: “This special ferry has been designed in close cooperation with the client and this has resulted in a safe, fuel efficient and maintenance friendly vessel built to the latest standards in Shipbuilding. The ferry is built under BV class. We are also providing an extensive training package and a long-term maintenance agreement. The vessel will sail under the Gambian flag.”
 
The ferry was transported via a heavy lift vessel from the Netherlands and arrived safely over a month ahead of schedule, enabling the client to commence operations before the end of Ramadan and in time for associated festivities.



Damen Shipyards Group
Damen Shipyards Group operates 33 shipbuilding and repair yards, employing 9,000 people worldwide. DAMEN has delivered more than 6,000 vessels in more than 100 countries and delivers some 180 vessels annually to customers worldwide. Based on its unique, standardised ship-design concept DAMEN is able to guarantee consistent quality.

Damen’s focus on standardisation, modular construction and keeping vessels in stock leads to short delivery times, low ‘total cost of ownership’, high resale values and reliable performance. Furthermore, DAMEN vessels are based on thorough R&D and proven technology.

Damen offers a wide range of products, including tugs, workboats, naval and patrol vessels, high speed craft, cargo vessels, dredgers, vessels for the offshore industry, ferries, pontoons and superyachts.

For nearly all vessel types DAMEN offers a broad range of services, including maintenance, spare parts delivery, training and the transfer of (shipbuilding) know-how. DAMEN also offers a variety of marine components, such as nozzles, rudders, anchors, anchor chains and steel works.

In addition to ship design and shipbuilding, DAMEN Shiprepair & Conversion has a worldwide network of 17 repair and conversion yards with dry docks ranging up to 420 x 80 metres. Conversion projects range from adapting vessels to today’s requirements and regulations to the complete conversion of large offshore structures. DSC completes around 1,350 repair and maintenance jobs annually.