DMC wins four-vessel contract for key components

High lift Barke flap rudder with bulb [Photo: DMC]

Four 6,250 dwt PMax Eco Trader dry cargo ships on order at Dutch shipbuilder GS Projects will have steering, control and propulsion equipment supplied by Damen Marine Components (DMC).

The vessels are being built for Groningen-based short sea operator Longship and DMC will provide its “plug & play” piston RAM-type steering systems, Barke rudders and Optima nozzles for the four identical vessels. They are being constructed at the GS Projects shipyard in Waterhuizen in cooperation with Groot Ship Design and Ship and Steelbuilding (SaS).

DMC says that the selection of this trio of its products fits the vessels’ 100 x 15.5 meter design well and that the robust design and engineering of the products will easily meet the LR classification and Finnish-Swedish 1A ice class specifications to which the four vessels will be built.

DMC’s Barke rudder ensures optimal maneuverability and course stability, due to its progressively operating flap linkage system. The result of all thiC, says DMC, is low fuel consumption and low maintenance costs. In addition, the rudder’s flushed anodes and Optima nozzle have earned a reputation for performance and reliability, particularly in delivering better fuel consumption in short-sea shipping operations.

With the first of the four vessels scheduled for delivery at the beginning of 2026, DMC’s “plug-and-play” designs will help with a smooth construction process.

“Look, for example, at their piston steering system. DMC will deliver these fully tested, certified hydraulic-powered units ready for installation,” says GS Projects project manager Henk Oudman. “This will significantly speed up our operations at the shipyard.”

“It’s great to be working with GS Projects and their client Longship on this multi-vessel contract,” says DMC area sales manager Leo van Zon. “A Dutch shipping company building its ships in the Netherlands, and with Dutch components too: that is quite special! Also, it shows that the Dutch maritime industry is still an efficient ecosystem, able to deliver state of the art assets. We are looking forward to getting started on our scope of work and, when the time comes, rolling up our sleeves and supporting the GS Projects team at the shipyard with the installation of the DMC equipment.”