Damen Shoalbuster for Smit Lamnalco

The recently delivered SL Mbissi will be the next Damen-built vessel in fleet of Smit Lamnalco. Nonetheless, the 25-meter shallow water workship is special in more ways than one. Firstly, it’s the first-ever Damen Shoalbuster for Smit Lamnalco.

Although Smit Lamnalco, a provider of integrated marine services, already deploys many Damen-built vessels – six of which having been delivered in the past 15 months alone – it had yet to order a Damen Shoalbuster SD. The series’ name is a poetic license to shallow draught (SD).

The SL Mbissi was built by Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld (the Netherlands) which also designs all Damen Multi Cat and Shoalbuster jack of all trades workships series. The SBu 2508 SD is also special in that it is a standard design turned tailor-made vessel.

“We sought a draught not exceeding 1.80 meters, to cope with a bar in the vessel’s operational area,” Smit Lamnalco’s CTO Rick Maliepaard said. “The shipyard’s engineering added a good meter to their 23.8-meter long standard design and suggested lighter main engines, to get the draught down (or up if you will). It has taken a minimum 20 centimeters off the standard 2308 SD’s draught, whilst still maintaining a truly potent 19.7-metric-ton bollard pull.”

“By changing a proven standard design into a bespoke ‘made-to-measure’ vessel, we’ve united our group’s edge in both fields. Which itself is a unique selling point,” said Palle Bonemeijer, the project manager involved with Damen Shipyards Harxdinxveld.

damen.com