Damen Yichang Shipyard Broadens its Shipbuilding Portfolio
Damen Yichang Shipyard in China, a joint venture between Damen Shipyards Group and Sinotrans CSC, is rolling out a larger portfolio of vessels to a wider market audience.
The yard on the Yangtze River is already building a number of specialized pontoons, whilst plans for dredgers and LPG tanker construction are being finalized.
“Over the years we have achieved a good reputation for delivery time, reliability and quality,” said Hans Voorneveld, Executive Director at Damen Shipyards Group.
“We’re looking at dredgers, pontoons and barges, LNG/LPG tankers and offshore support vessels, such as platform suppliers, “he added.
The plans have been revealed within shipyard’s strategy switch to a new direction in shipbuilding, targeting more technologically advanced ships.
The yard is already building a number of specialized pontoons, whilst plans for dredgers are now being finalized. Finalization of plans for LPG tanker construction is expected imminently.
Current capacity at the yard is sufficient for Damen to simultaneously construct 10 pontoons along with two dredgers, LNG/LPG tankers or offshore support vessels.
In the past, the Yichang yard has excelled in the construction of cargo vessels up to 15,000dwt. Whilst it will continue to build such vessels, from now on, there will be an additional focus on other, high-tech vessel types.
The yard boasts steel-cutting facilities, six berths for section building and assembly and a sideways launching system, and is staffed by around 1,000 employees
Damen Yichang Shipyard commenced operations in 1999, and has traditionally focused on cargo vessels up to 15,000dwt.