Damen Oskarshamnsvarvet has won a contract for the refit and repair works of a Swedish ferry from Trafikverket (the Swedish Transport Administration). Awarded after a public tender process, the contract refers to the Castella, a 77-metre long Ro-Ro ferry. DAMEN Oskarshamnsvarvet, part of DAMEN Shiprepair & Conversion, will complete the works between November 2017 and March 2018, the company said in its press release.
Trafikverket (the Swedish governmental body responsible for national infrastructure) operates over 40 different ferry routes that mobilise more than 60 ferries. These enable 21 million passenger and 11 million vehicle transports per year; demonstrating the vital function that ferries contribute to Sweden’s transport system.
Damen Oskarshamnsvarvet is the most northerly located yard within the DAMEN Shiprepair & Conversion (DSC) network of worldwide ship repair yards. Its location on Sweden’s Baltic Sea coast serves to extend DSC’s scope in Northern Europe.
The scope of work required on the 1980-built Castella includes replacing the existing wheelhouse with a new aluminium wheelhouse. “We will complete all works for the new wheelhouse here on site. This includes fabrication, finishing and installation,” adds Mr Van der Waal. “By performing all these actions under one roof, we can guarantee the highest levels of quality at a competitive price.”
The yard will also be handling the design, construction and installation of a new integrated automation and alarm system (IAS). Additional works consist of renewal of the vessel’s four propulsion engines and installation of a new control system for the rudder propellers which will be supplied by the owner.
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.