Page 51: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (May 2015)

For Damen, building with composite ter Bus. Using its existing knowledge of or both. Additionally, composite materi- when vessels are produced in batches of materials is nothing new. Already using logistics, design, out? tting and standard- als do not corrode, and their ? bers can be ? ve or more, Zan Der Zee explained; a composites for decades in some of its ized construction, and combining it with aligned to optimize ? exibility, strength composite vessel built in serial produc- high speed craft, naval vessels and fer- outside expertise in composite fabrica- and robustness. “The advantage of com- tion is typically 200,000 to 250,000 eu- ries, the Netherlands-based shipbuilder tion, Damen has developed knowledge posites is you can make it strong where ros cheaper than a comparable aluminum looks to take composites to the next lev- to enable effective series-production of you want to make it strong,” Van Der model with identical out? tting. Howev- el. The Damen Group took over Vitters’ composite professional vessels for the Zee explained. er, this build process makes one-off or- high-tech composite shipyard Cyrus in port, offshore and security sectors. Damen said its newly developed build- ders expensive and impractical, and any

Antalya, Turkey in June 2013, starting “Times are changing,” Van Der Zee ing technique enables it to build lighter corrections required mid-production can production just three months later as said. “Everything that moves – every- vessels (10 percent lighter than alumi- be very costly. Additionally, serial com-

Damen Shipyards Antalya. Directed by thing that has to do with transport – is num) with lower fuel consumption, less posite construction takes away some of

Dutch general manager Auke Van Der moving into composites,” he added, cit- maintenance and a smaller environmen- the yard’s regular ? exibility. Once the

Zee, the 100% Damen-owned yard has ing cars, planes, trains and even racing tal footprint, ? tting the shipbuilder’s mold is being produced, there can be no a staff of 125 Turkish employees and bikes as examples. Even infrastructure overall strategy for reducing energy con- more modi? cations.

has fully transitioned from custom yacht components such as wind generator sumption over the coming years. Nevertheless, Damen believes com- building to the serial construction of blades and bridges are built using com- Though Damen’s composite build pro- posite building will prove to be a wel- high speed commercial workboats up to posites. cess required a relatively large upfront come addition to its portfolio on top of 40m long. The yard is now operating at By de? nition, composite construction investment, including R&D and tooling, existing steel and aluminum offerings. full capacity with three production lines, involves fabrication using different parts once the molds are created, serial pro- The success of the composite program at capable of building 35 composite ves- or elements, in this case ? ber and resin. duction enables lower production costs the Antalya yard has allowed Damen to sels per year from its portfolio including These materials are much lighter than and shorter lead times. add a separate facility – Antalya II – for four vessel types: FCS 1605, Stan Patrol steel or aluminum, making for vessels Damen’s serial production process at steel and aluminum fast crew suppliers 2205, Interceptor 1102 and Damen Wa- that are are faster, consume less energy, Antalya provides a large cost advantage (FCS) 5009.

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