Damen Declared 'Best Overall Builder of the Year'

The Australian-based, but worldwide read, magazine Work Boat World has for the second year running designated Damen Shipyards Group the Best Overall Builder of the Year. In its review of the work boat industry during 2014 it stated that its decision was based on the fact that Damen “continues to produce what the global industry wants. Invariably, it does that on-time and on-budget.”

It also went on to point out that the group has always been innovative but within a firm set of philosophical guidelines, and has a policy of thinking and operating globally. The magazine further applauded Damen’s strategy of standardization, that it said delivers fast response times, competitive pricing and reliability. It concluded that Damen's “ongoing global success through good times and bad, and its flourishing while so many of its competitors have fallen by the wayside, speaks very eloquently for itself.”

Judging criteria included looking at each builder’s approach to innovation, styling, finish and build quality together with feedback from the clients and an assessment of overall market trends.

Plus the award for Best Offshore Patrol Boat

In the same review, Damen’s FCS 3307 Patrol Guardian 1, owned and operated by Homeland Integrated Offshore Services Ltd., was named ‘Best Offshore Patrol Boat’ of 2014’. This was on the basis of her versatility, with her Nigerian owner specifying a combined crew / supply / patrol boat. “Aluminium hulled and triple engined, but really quite simple in concept,” declared the judges, “Guardian 1 is fuel efficient and very capable and fast. She also has great potential for a number of other roles.”

Her superb sea-keeping is the result in part of her ‘sea-axe’ bow, a distinctive characteristic of Damen’s high performance work boats, while the large aft deck is a key contributor to her multi-role capability. Originally developed as primarily a crew boat with some cargo capacity for the offshore oil & gas industry, she has since demonstrated her ability to be adapted for a range of sectors.

“We are delighted and proud to have been awarded these accolades,” said Arnout Damen, CCO of Damen Shipyards Group. “With our worldwide network and participation in a wide range of work boat markets we aim to be innovative and responsive, and to meet the needs of our customers via consultation and cooperation. Our strategy of using standardization where it makes sense and of building for stock has certainly been met with approval across the maritime industry, and the result was a very successful 2014 with over 150 vessels being designed and built. We look forward to continuing this into 2015 and beyond.”