Damen Dredging Equipment opens expanded offices

Mr. Kommer Damen, Chairman of the Damen Shipyards Group, speaks at reopening ceremony

NOVEMBER 14, 2016 — In a November 9 ceremony, Mr. Kommer Damen, Chairman of the Damen Shipyards Group, officially reopened the offices of Damen Dredging Equipment (DDE) in Nijkerk, Netherlands, following an extensive refit and extension.

Around 500 sq.m of floor space has been added and, among the many improvements, the building now provides visitors with a complete “dredging experience,” starting with displays in the hallways illustrating the challenges of living in the Low Countries and explaining why dredging has been an integral part of their history, with further exibits and hands-on demonstrations on the second and third floors showcasing Damen’s capabilities in capital, maintenance, environmental and aggregate dredging.

The hosts for the reopening were Hendrik Jan de Kluiver, Managing Director of DDE, and Olivier Marcus, Director of Damen Product Group Dredging.

In his speech, Mr. Kommer Damen spoke of his own experience of dredging early on in his career and how it sparked an enduring passion for the industry.

He said that\ cooperation between departments across the Damen Group and actively generating synergies would play a vital role in maintaining momentum in a difficult period for the entire maritime sector.

Mr. Stefan Hansum, Plant Manager at Van Oord, also spoke, giving a opening. He gave a presentation giving insights into dredging at Van Oord and described the performance of two Damen CSD (cutting suction dredger) 650s that his company has recently put into operation.