Dutch hold their share against European competition

Dutch orderbooks remain dominated by general purpose cargo ships, and dredgers, but more non-typical highly sophisticate vessels are appearing.

While Dutch builders receive 4-5 per cent less in building subsidies than those in other European countries, he believes that for the last five years the Dutch government?s subsidy policy has been well thought out.

This is the view of Phillip Swolia, general manager of Conoship International, the group of privately-owned shipyards in the northern part of The Netherlands.

Yards are expected to do their best to be competitive, he says. Although the percentage support is lower than elsewhere in Europe, there is indirect support. For example, The Netherlands flag is one of the cheapest, and CV support to owners will continue to be available in the future, he says.

Holland has one of the biggest marine clusters in Europe, comprising builders, outfitters and subcontractors, explains Mr Swolis. Their business is very diversified and in a healthy condition, even to the extent that export work is being carried out for the Far East. The government recognises that the marine industry is important to the country. For example, sections for a 10,000 dwt newbuilding will be sub-contracted to different yards, he says.

Conoship International

At the end of 1999, the total orders booked with Conoship yards amounted to 38 vessels. Almost all of these are examples of Conoship?s bread-and-butter general/multi-purpose designs, ranging in size from 3,200-9,140 dwt.

Mr Swolis explains that the bulk of these new orders have come in since September last year. The market was flat during the previous months of 1999, and Conoship?s research and development department had very little work to do between March and July. In addition, member yards received no orders between February and July. Then from August everything changed, says Mr Swolis. “We have never had so many interesting projects for new designs, followed by orders, and it is a hopeful sign that the market is recovering. However, prices remain under pressure. Good designs help us to sell ships, but competition from the Far East is still important, especially from China,” he adds.

Only Shipyard Bijlsma currently has any other type of vessel on its orderbook ? two 6,650 dwt chemical tankers for a domestic owner ? with delivery down for February and July this year respectively. To this order is added a series of six Bijlsma Trader 9000 1A ice classed multi-purpose/600 TEU container ships, developed in close co-operation between Wagenborg BV and Conoship.

Van der Giessen-de Noord

The high-speed ferry Blue Star 1 was named and launched on December l8 at the Van der Giessen-de Noord shipyard (GNS). The yard designed and built the vessel for the Greek shipping company Strintzis Lines SA. Delivery is planned for May. A sister ship is also under construction at the shipyard.

The new ferry is 172m long, 26m wide and has a depth of 15m. The vessel can accommodate 130 truck-trailer combinations with a total length of 1,780 metres, 106 cars and 1,600 passengers. Blue Star 1 has a service speed of 27 knots.

IHC Holland

IHC Holland handed over the 17,000m3 capacity trailing suction dredger Nile River to DEME from its de Merwede yard at the end of last year. This follows the delivery by the yard of the 13,700m3capacity Lange Wapper to the same owner last May (The Motor Ship, September 1999).

IHC has booked several more important orders, including one for the largest dredger so far built in The Netherlands. For HAM Dredging Ltd in the UK, the order is for a 23,700m3 jumbo trailing suction hopper dredger with a deadweight of 36,450 dwt. Delivery is scheduled for the autumn of 2001, and the contract also includes an option for a sistership.

With a length overall of 169.5m and breadth of 32m, the newbuilding will have a draught of 12m and total installed power of 28,500kW (38,203 bhp).

The 32m breadth of the HAM 318 makes it too wide to be built by IHC Holland, so construction has been sub-contracted to Van der Giessen-de Noord.

Damen Shipyard Group

The Damen Shipyard Group comprises 20 operating companies engaged in shipbuilding, repair and marine services. Newbuildings up to 130m loa, 15,000 dwt, and 10,300kW (14,000 bhp) propulsion power cover a large type range, from tugs, workboats, trawlers, supply vessels, general purpose dry cargo/container vessels, and LPG carriers to high speed ferries. The group prides itself in providing a large range of standard vessels of modular design, allowing interchangeability of various modules to provide the various needs of owners.

Competition for orders for these types of vessels comes mainly from Europe, and to a lesser extent from the Far East. Damen found it slightly easier to obtain orders last year, but nevertheless a spokesman described it as “still a hell of a fight”.

Orders at present include a cutter suction dredger with an installed power of 970kW (1,320 bhp), and a dredging depth of 16m destined for Algeria, and a 1,600m3 capacity trailing suction hopper dredger for a French owner, and a Damen 4600 design combi freighter for Denmark. It also has a River Runner 150 design passenger ferry on order for domestic owner Waterbus BV. This is the same design as four other ferries, Devel, Wantij, Rietbaan, and Alblas, delivered last October and December to the same owner. The 30.5m, 20 knot vessels are powered by two Caterpillar 3196B main engines.