Damen launches cutting-edge Fishery Research Vessel for Angolan Fisheries Ministry

On 9th November, DAMEN Shipyards Galati launched a Fishery Research Vessel (FRV) 7417 for the Angolan Ministry of Fisheries. The sponsor of the vessel, named Baía Farta, was Dra. Isabel Cristóvão, director of Gabinete de Estudos, Planeamento e Estatística, the company said in its press release.

The Ministry is a long-standing client of Damen, having previously taken delivery of two 62-metre Fishery Inspection Vessels 6210 and a smaller FRV 2808. This new vessel boasts a number of state-of-the-art features.

The FRV has Silent A/F/R Class notation. Close attention is being paid to the design, construction and outfitting of the vessel in order to minimise noise and vibration both on board and underwater.

The FRV 7417 is suited to various purposes, including hydrographic operations, acoustics research, pelagic and demersal trawling, plankton, water, environmental and geographical sampling, oil recovery and emergency towing operations.

Friso Visser, DAMEN Regional Director Africa, said: “This vessel represents the future of fishery research, featuring cutting-edge technologies to make operations both sustainable and comfortable. She will enable the Angolan Fisheries Ministry to carry out research into its fishing grounds that will help to develop and preserve the nation’s industry and environment.”

Baía Farta features a basic design from Skipsteknisk. Her construction has been an international project, involving input from Damen Shipyards Gorinchem and DAMEN Schelde Naval Shipbuilding in the Netherlands, with building taking place at DAMEN Shipyards Galati in Romania.




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.

Damen Shiprepair & Conversion (DSC) has a worldwide network of sixteen repair and conversion yards of which twelve are located in North West Europe. Facilities at the yards include more than 50 floating and (covered) drydocks, the largest of which is 420 x 90 metres, as well as slopes, ship lifts and indoor halls. Projects range from the smallest simple repairs through Class’ maintenance to complex refits and the complete conversion of large offshore structures. DSC completes around 1,350 repair and maintenance jobs annually, both at yards as well as in ports and during voyage.