World Ocean Council Welcomes Damen

Damen Shipyards Group  has become the latest member of the World Ocean Council (WOC).

Damen is the first European shipbuilder to join the WOC, the international business leadership alliance on ocean sustainability, science and stewardship.

By focusing on optimizing ship design and working on product innovations, Damen works to  reduce environmental impacts of shipping. This has resulted in, for example, an in-house E3 label, applying only to new Damen designs that are Environmentally friendly, Efficient in operation and Economically viable. Other examples are the new generations of hybrid, CNG and LNG tugs and inland shipping vessels, some of which are built and some of which are in research programmes, Damen‘s recent partnership with the Bellona Foundation, the Oslo-based institute for sustainable environmental solutions, and the BlueTec Tidal Energy project.

Damen’s designers and developers are structurally investigating possibilities to contribute to a new generation of cleaner ships. The company is identifying and developing new ways to address growing ocean challenges, such as pioneering the world’s first mobile ballast water treatment vessel (InvaSave) to operate in ports and support ship deballasting operations.

Arnout Damen, Chief Commercial Officer, stated, “Vessels are a common and fundamental aspect of all ocean industries. Many of the impacts to the marine environment can and must be addressed through improved vessel development and operations. Through the World Ocean Council, Damen can better work with the diverse ocean business community to identify and develop the innovative designs and products needed to tackle these issues – creating business opportunities and business solutions in support of cleaner seas.”