Damen Wins Second Ice Class Ferry

The Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Government has awarded Damen Shipyards a contract for a second state-of-the-art, 80 m Ice Class ferry, just a few weeks after placing an order for its first vessel, which will serve the Fogo Island-Change Islands.

This second order is for an identical vessel but it will be deployed between Bell Island and Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s.

Scheduled for delivery in February 2016, the 14-knot ro-ro ferry will be able to carry up to 200 passengers and 60 vehicles.

Fifteen proposals were received in response to the Government’s request for proposals for the construction of new ferry vessels. Government representatives visited Damen headquarters and its shipyards, as well as some ferries previously built by Damen for the Texel-Den Helder service in the Netherlands.

Following the extensive evaluation process, Damen received the highest overall score of all the proposals as it ‘will provide the best value to the province and a high quality vessel that will be delivered on time and on budget’.

Jan van Hogerwou, Manager North America, Damen Shipyards Group, said: “The 80 m ferry was designed by a Canadian engineering firm and the Damen Shipyards Group looks forward to further enhancing the working relationship with this company to ensure that this new vessel meets all possible requirements, not only for the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador but also for the passengers she will transport in the next few decades.”

Together with the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Government, Damen is also exploring more opportunities about how it can be more closely involved in the local community and further development of the shipbuilding industry in the region.

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Press Release, December 24, 2013