The Netherlands: Damen Presents Simplified Technical English in Its DAMOS Software

As part of an ongoing effort to make its maintenance software program DAMOS (Damen Asset Management Operating System) even more user-friendly, Damen Shipyards has now captured its maintenance instructions in Simplified Technical English (STE100). This makes reading and understanding these instructions much easier for non-native speakers or inexperienced crew.

Simplified Technical English (STE) has a controlled (English) vocabulary with sufficient words to write any technical text. STE was first used in the aerospace industry to reduce ambiguity of instructions and misinterpretation of important technical documents, thereby enhancing safety throughout the industry. Today, STE is used in many other industries. As of now, and with the same goals, Damen is offering its maintenance instructions in STE.

DAMOS

Damen Services is, amongst others, specialized in vessel maintenance. This specific knowledge is anchored in the database of the DAMOS computerised maintenance management system. DAMOS is a user-friendly tool, containing all information on preventive vessel maintenance crisp and clearly recorded and presented. DAMOS is replacing difficult and multiple interpretable technical manuals and even more so in the new STE-version.

DAMOS pro-actively indicates, amongst others, what type of maintenance has to be performed, which parts should be replaced, which tools are necessary and who needs to perform the maintenance job. All instructions are unequivocally interpretable.

[mappress]

Shipbuilding Tribune Staff, June 15, 2012; Image: damen