Damen Group

The Damen Group is a Dutch defence, shipbuilding, and engineering conglomerate company based in Gorinchem, Netherlands.
Though it is a major international group doing business in 120 countries, it remains a private family-owned company.
Damen Shipyards Group is a globally operating company with more than 50 shipyards, repair yards, and related companies − as well as numerous partner yards that can build Damen vessels locally. Since 1969 it has designed and built more than 5,000 vessels and delivers over 150 vessels annually. With over 30 shipyards and related companies worldwide, Damen is involved in ship construction as well as maintenance and repair activities. It has a wide product range, including tugs, workboats, patrol craft, cargo vessels, dredgers, superyachts and fast ferries. Product design and engineering are carried out in-house and a broad range of designs are available.
Damen was established in 1927 in the town of Hardinxveld-Giessendam in the Netherlands by Jan and Marinus Damen. The two brothers ran a successful, mainly Dutch-oriented, shipyard for decades. Over the years they managed to build up a small, but loyal customer-base.
Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld, located about 10 km from the Damen Group headquarters in Gorinchem, still exists today. It is specialised in designing and building workboats, especially 'multi cats' and shoalbusters.
In 1969 Jan Damen's son, Kommer Damen, took over.
In July 2023 it was reported that Damen Marine Components had been awarded a contract by Wärtsilä to provide steering equipment for two landing platform docks (LPD) that will be built at ASMAR for the Chilean Navy.
On March 16, 2016, the World Bank Group announced its debarment of Damen Shipyards Gorinchem for 18 months. As stated in a press release on the World Bank official website : "The company engaged in a fraudulent practice under the West Africa Regional Fisheries Program"
The sanction follows an agreement between the World Bank and Damen Shipyards Gorinchem hence a reduced debarment of 18 months, as stated : "Damen has cooperated with the World Bank’s investigation and has taken remedial action, including strengthening its corporate compliance program"
Key figures and statistics for Damen Shipyards Group in/as of 2015 include:
Annual turnover: 2.1 billion Euro
Damen Shipyard Group: 32 yards worldwide
Employees: 9,000 worldwide
Annual deliveries 2015: 180
Total number of deliveries since 1969:
Key Figures Damen Shiprepair & Conversion 2015
Annual turnover (2015) : 500 million EUR
Damen Shiprepair & Conversion: 15 yards in 6 countries
Employees: 1,500
The US Coast Guard Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter (FRC-B) 153 feet (47 m) long, and capable of speeds of over 28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph) is based on the Damen 4708 design, and will be built by the Bollinger Shipyards of Lockport, Louisiana. The firm fixed-price contract for the first ship is worth €88m (US$120m); the approximate maximum value of the contract, if all options are exercised for a total of 34 patrol boats, is €1.5 billion ($2 billion) over a period of between six and eight years.
On September 2, 2009, the Ministry of Public Works and Government Services of Canada announced that nine mid-shore patrol ships based on a 'Canadianized' version of the Damen Stan Patrol 4207 would be built by Irving Shipbuilding in Halifax, Nova Scotia for use by the Canadian Coast Guard in conjunction with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans had originally wanted twelve patrol craft.
Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard operates three Damen Stan Patrol 4100 vessels.
On October 27, 2005, the JDF Coast Guard commissioned HMJS Cornwall, the first of three Damen 4207 vessels (termed County class by the JDFCG). The second County-class vessel, HMJS Middlesex, was commissioned on April 7, 2006. The third and final vessel, HMJS Surrey, was commissioned on June 26, 2007. The vessels are dubbed County class as they are named after the three counties of Jamaica.
On June 25, 2020, the JDF Coast Guard commissioned HMJS Nanny of the Maroons, a Damen FCS 5009 Cutter. The vessel is named after the Jamaican National Hero Nanny of the Maroons.
The Marine Region of the Hong Kong Police Force is having Stan 2600 patrol boats built by Damen.
Damen Mk I boats were used in Hong Kong and now retired after Keka-class patrol boats were delivered.
In November 2011 the Ecuadorian Coast Guard ordered Damen Stan 2606 patrol vessels, to be built in Ecuador by Astinave.
Damen Group has already delivered some Damen Stan 4207 patrol vessels for search and rescue missions managed by the Vietnam Maritime search and Rescue Coordination Center (VN MRCC) under the Vietnam National Maritime Bureau and reporting to the Ministry of Transport.
The Vietnam Coast Guard also cooperated with Damen Group to build large vessels with Dutch license, such as one offshore patrol vessel 9014, one hydrographic survey vessel 6613, four salvage tugs 6412. These vessels will be built in Vietnam by the Song Thu company.
Damen Group has already delivered 3 of 12 vessels purchased by the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard. A coastal patrol vessel (CPV) CG 25, interceptor (vessel) and supply vessels were delivered in July to strengthen border security and stop the illegal flow of guns, ammunition and drugs into the country.
Damen is a large group. Some of the group companies are: