2018 has been a difficult year for Dutch shipbuilder Royal IHC. Due to cost overruns in the execution of a number of challenging projects, the loss for 2018 ultimately amounted to 80.6 million euros. The company has revealed concrete actions to restore profitability.

The first of Damen’s new Marine Aggregate Dredger class, a 103.5-metre MAD 3500, has been launched at Damen Shipyards Galati (DSGa) in Romania. The Cemex Go Innovation represents the first of a new generation of efficient dredgers specialising in the extraction of sand and gravel from the seabed.

Kotug International BV and Royal Boskalis Westminster NV have concluded the sale of Kotug Smit Towage to Boluda Group (Boluda). This is in line with the initial announcement of 4 March 2019.

DEME has finished installing 85 kilometres of subsea export cable for Elia’s Modular Offshore Grid. The Belgian dredging and offshore contractor’s new cable installation vessel Living Stone completed the job using its innovative dual-lane cable installation system.

First steel has been cut for the second LNG-powered Costa Cruises ship at Meyer Turku, Finland. For the first time, the steel was cut using a new plasma cutter line. The ship named Costa Toscana is to join the fleet in 2021.

The Elbe shipping channel will be deepened over a distance of 116 kilometres from Hamburg to the mouth of the Elbe and widened in some places to create passing places. The adjustment is to make the port of Hamburg more accessible for the ever larger container ships.

The Procyon, one of the pilot vessels of Nederlands Loodswezen BV, has recently been equipped with three new davit systems for deployment and recovery of its Fast Launch Craft. These craft transfer pilots to and from seagoing vessels.

Zeamarine has won a large ocean transportation contract from Schenker Australia Pty Limited for the BHP South Flank Project in Western Australia. The company will transport approximately 450,000 freight tons of heavy and oversized modules from China to Port Hedland, Western Australia.

Heesen is expanding its facility in Winterswijk, the Netherlands, by adding 2240 square metres of production space. The facility serves as the yacht builder’s interiors workshop and was acquired in 2000 under the name Oortgiese. 


Damen Shipyards Group has delivered two additional Fast Crew Supplier (FCS) 3307 vessels configured as patrol boats to West African offshore services supplier Homeland Integrated Offshore Services Limited (HIOSL). The vessels were delivered within five months of contract signing.