Damen Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT) has hosted a keel laying ceremony, marking the start of construction on the first of three Multi-mission Inshore Patrol Vessels (MMIPVs) for the South African Navy.
These vessels will aid in protecting the country from threats such as trafficking, illegal fishing and piracy, as well as support job creation and enterprise development. The ceremony took place on Saturday 23 February. The first vessel is due to be completed by mid-2021. The second and third are scheduled for delivery in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
Keel Laying Ceremony
The keel laying ceremony is a maritime tradition that dates back to the times of wooden ships and is said to bring luck to the ship during construction and to the captain and crew during the vessel’s later life. The tradition involves placing a newly minted coin under the keel (the primary structural backbone of the ship around which the hull is built) and building over it.
The coin laid at the DSCT event was a commemorative medal made in honour of the late President Nelson Mandela’s 1993 Nobel Peace Prize win. The coin was placed under the keel by the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.
The keel bar was then lowered on top of the coin and welded into the structure – a privilege that went to Nobelungu Tshangase from Velddrif on the West Coast who is one of the top performing apprentices at Damen’s training school. The training school has since its inception in 2010 educated 150 young people from previously disadvantaged communities and recently enrolled a new class of 10.
Supporting the Local Economy
Building of the vessels at Damen Shipyards Cape Town is to create more than 1000 direct and indirect jobs. At the same time, opportunities for local businesses are supported and facilitated.
Arnout Damen, Chief Commercial Officer of the Damen Shipyard Group: 'It is our intention to ensure that at the end of the project we have achieved significant transfer of technology and skills, as well as facilitated growth of enterprises.'
