Damen Shipyards Cape Town contracted for CSD 250 for Dredging Africa

Dredging Africa (Pty) Ltd has signed a contract with DAMEN Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT) for the delivery of a Cutter Suction Dredger (CSD) 250, DAMEN said in its press release. Due to Damen’s policy of series building standardised vessels, the CSD was in stock and available for fast delivery in March 2018. This will be the first DAMEN CSD to operate in South Africa. The contract for the CSD came about after Dredging Africa signed a memorandum of understanding with DSCT at the yard’s first African Dredging Seminar, held in October last year.

Mr Arend van de Wetering, Director of Dredging Africa said: “We are very happy to be working with DSCT for the delivery of this dredger. From the outset, the collaboration has been excellent; DAMEN have gone out of their way to create the opportunity for this project to be realised. They really thought along with us to create a solution that matches exactly our needs – including looking at various financing options that are available.”

Damen Product Director Dredging Olivier Marcus concurred, saying, “We are very pleased to be delivering this CSD to Dredging Africa. The cooperation between us has been very fruitful and we are looking forward very much to delivering the vessel in a short space of time. Dredging has enormous potential to open up new trading opportunities in South Africa and we are proud to play our part in supporting this.”

DSCT decided to host the African Dredging seminar, understanding the importance dredging has for South Africa and the wider region. CSDs such as this also have the capability to maintain reservoirs ensuring the supply of drinking water in the country. DAMEN has previously delivered a number of products from the DAMEN Dredging Equipment (DDE) portfolio to Africa. Dredging Africa intends to use its dredger on multiple contracts in South Africa and Southern Africa at large.

Damen’s CSD portfolio features a range of standardised dredgers often built for stock and customised for individual client requirements via the application of standard options. DAMEN has optimised its designs based on user experience. As a result, the CSDs offer an outstanding high production to low operating cost ratio, extreme ergonomics, low noise & vibration and a layout aimed at ease of maintenance. The modular nature of the design means that the CSD 250 can be transported easily, in just three containers, to the remotest of locations.

DSCT will be on hand to support Dredging Africa in the ongoing service and maintenance of the CSD, including with the supply of spare parts from stock in order to ensure maximum uptime of the dredger.



About DAMEN Shipyards Cape Town (Pty) Ltd:

Building in Africa for Africa
Damen Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT) builds ships in Africa for Africa. To date, the yard has constructed & delivered 40 vessels to the African continent from its base in Cape Town, including offshore patrol vessels, dredgers, tugs, naval craft and platform supply vessels, some of which have been built for stock in order to ensure fast delivery. The DSCT Services & Repairs department has provided training, delivery, maintenance & repairs assistance to countries across the globe and especially to African countries seeking to source high quality services from South Africa.

Through thorough research, on-going evaluations and customer feedback, DSCT’s vessels are of the highest international quality standards and provide customers with the assurance of generations of proven high-tech commercial off-the-shelf (C.O.T.S) vessels.  

DSCT has a well-established Apprenticeship Training Centre which is accredited by MerSETA and ChietaSETA.  Apprentices selected for the Apprenticeship Training Centre program have the opportunity to obtain the necessary skills in order to achieve artisan status in Welding, Boiler Making, Pipe Fitting or Electrical and they are provided with a job opportunity at the same time. The first, second and third year apprentices are productive on the shop floor under the mentorship of qualified artisans until they pass their Trade Test. Once qualified, all apprentices have the opportunity to be absorbed into the business as artisans.  To date, DSCT has trained 63 Apprentices of which 19 are female.  DSCT’s Apprenticeship Training Centre is the true reflection of the yard’s commitment to the South African Governments economic initiative, known as Operation Phakisa, which aims to reach the potential of the South African Maritime Sector, including shipbuilding, and to accelerate economic growth and job creation.  

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.