Damen signs contract with Canada’s Group Ocean for two Modular Multi Cats

Recently, at the New Orleans Workboat Festival in the United States, DAMEN Shipyards Group signed a contract with Canada-based Group Ocean for the delivery of two Modular Multi Cats 1205, the company said in its press release. The vessels, which are made of standard, container sized units for easy transportation anywhere in the world, will serve as dredging support vessels on an oil sands project in the north of Canada. The contract fits with Group Ocean’s vision to become a world class organisation and a trusted partner for its clients.

Ocean, is a major Quebec society in the maritime industry, operates mainly in Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick and now in Western Canada. Ocean has nearly 850 employees and is one of the largest providers of marine solutions in Canada whose core business is towing, pilot boat, marine services, equipment rental and dredging.

The location of the oil sands tailings ponds upon which the Multi Cats will work is inland and not easily accessible by water. The modular nature of the vessels means that they can be easily transported to site by truck and then quickly assembled for operation on location. The modularity of the design also makes any future relocations straightforward.

Damen has a strong relationship with Group Ocean, dating back to 2011. This is the second contract between the two companies, whose shared approach and philosophy ensures a smooth, dynamic and complementary flow of work.. The synergy between both companies has been proven during the first join project for the construction of Ocean’s first TSHD which DAMEN was providing all technical support and the steel/component package for the construction of this vessel at Ocean’s shipyard.

Tommy Theriault, Business Development Director for Ocean Marine Works and Dredging, explained: “In addition to the ease with which we can transport these vessels to inaccessible locations quickly and cost-effectively, Damen’s standardized shipbuilding process meant that they already had one of the vessels on stock for extremely fast delivery. It will also allow us more flexibility for future development across Canada.”

Because one of the Multi Cats was in stock already, the first delivery will take place in February – less than three months following the signing of contract. The second vessel, which is being built at DAMEN Shipyards Kozle in Poland, will follow in Q2 2018.

Damen Regional Sales Manager North American, Daan Dijxhoorn said, “The speed with which we are able to deliver these vessels, as well as the convenience that results from modular construction, really goes to show the unique advantages of standardised shipbuilding as practiced at Damen.”

The DAMEN Multi Cat has is a versatile workboat with an extensive track record in many sectors. It is used for towing and anchor-handling, dive support, marine engineering, offshore energy operations and for dredging and dredging support operations.

Mr Dijxhoorn concluded, saying, “We look forward to delivering these Multi Cats to Group Ocean and have every confidence in their ability to perform excellently in the work ahead of them. We wish Group Ocean and their clients the very best with these vessels.”


Damen Shipyards Group
Damen Shipyards Group operates 33 shipbuilding and repair yards, employing 10,000 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.