Merwede takes stake in new facility

IHC Holland Merwede has decided to participate as a majority shareholder, together with Van Sluisveld Beheer, in a new company, Verenigde Scheepswerf Heusden BV (VSH), which is based in Heusden in Netherland on the site of the former Heusden Shipyard.

VSH will take over nearly all 75 permanent employees that were already working at the location and will rent the real estate from Van Sluisveld. The facility includes significant production and pre-fabrication facilities as well as two slipways. “Based on the current orderbook and the market outlook IHC Holland Merwede is in need of expansion of, in particular, pre-fabrication and section building capacity,” said the company in a statement.

VSH will concentrate primarily on preparing and section building for the other IHC Holland Merwede yards. In addition both slipways offer the possibility to build complete vessels. On the West slipway vessels up to approximately 35.5m breadth and 185m length can be built. On the East slipway vessels can be built of up to 25.5m breadth and 185m length. Both slipways can be lengthened by 20m and 10m respectively.

At present, a river cruise ship is on the slipway and sections for other Dutch yards are being built, and it is the company’s intention to start building sections for IHC Holland Merwede at the beginning of April.