Marasi Magazine Issue 35

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Kommer Damen during his visit to one of Albwardy's workshops
men is unlike any other shipyard in
the UAE. It is always on the lookout
for visionary plans that will transform
the business and be one step ahead of
the curve. Damen made sure that this
mind-set was engrained within the
entire business to dramatically impact
the shipbuilding industry in a positive
light. “Standardising the vessel construction
process was a major turning
point in our success. This was in 1969,
just after I had just taken over the
family business with a vessel design
called the Pushy Cat. We were a small
team of people back then, energetic
and with a real belief in the strategy
of standardisation,” Damen recalled.
This strategy certainly paid off as
the main benefits of standardisation
– short delivery times, reliability, and
proven technology – haven’t changed
in the last 50 years.
Success Driven by a Challenging
Market
Revealing how the company consistently
tackles market challenges,
Damen stated, “Because the Damen
Group as a whole is active in so many
of the maritime sectors, we are in a
good position to cope with any downturns.
Challenges help us keep a longterm
view in how we work with our
clients, how we develop our portfolio,
and how we embrace change. This is
also linked to the fact that we are still
very much a family business.”
The cooperation and collaboration
with partners, suppliers and clients
is an integral part of the company’s
success. The group works alongside
world-renowned research institutes,
such as Delft University of Technology,
the Maritime Research Institute
Netherlands (MARIN) and the Netherlands
Organisation of Applied Scientific
Research (TNO). “Over the last
five decades, we have consistently
adapted and developed our business
model to encompass things like customer
financing schemes, Damen
Technical Cooperation, maintenance
and repair services, and 24/7 technical
assistance,” Damen stated.
Locally Based, Globally Recognized
Albwardy Damen operates from
three UAE locations and employs
"We are also strongly focused on improving our
company’s growth and sustainability. It is one of the
most significant matters in the industry today"
1200 people and has been part of
the Damen Shipyards Group since
2008. Last year marked the 40th anniversary
of Albwardy’s entry into the
Damen Group. Commenting on how
being positioned in the UAE helped
the group financial and operational
growths, Damen said “Looking back
over these past 40 years, investment
has always been a key factor. This
primarily included large investment
in human capital to develop our inhouse
capabilities. It is a tough market
for us at the moment, but 2018 was a
busy year with our employees working
on more than 400 vessels.”
For Damen Shipyards the endless
ambitions do not stop where they
are today; the group has been going
through regional and global acquisitions
as well. Damen clarified saying,
“One of the most important achievements
we have achieved has been the
steady expansion of our global network
of yards and service hubs. This
allows us to concentrate on building
strong business relationships with our
customers. It is these relationships
that are the cornerstone of our success.”
Backed by a solid strategy and a
clear vision, the company is poised to
remain relevant and impactful for decades
to come. Damen concluded saying,
“We are also strongly focused on
improving our company’s growth and
sustainability. It is one of the most
significant matters in the industry
today. The group builds fully-electric
ferries, and already five years ago we
introduced the industry’s first hybrid
tugs, to reinforce our commitment to
lowering emissions. In addition, the
company has been investing in Research
and Development as a means
of ensuring the future is even brighter
than our past accomplishments.”
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