As part of its ongoing commitment to sustainability, Damen Shipyards Group is having solar panels installed at a number of its Dutch yards. Collectively, the installations will provide approximately 11 MWh clean electricity per year.

Damen Project manager, Gerard Kornet explains, “At Damen, we always take a long-term view. It’s part of our culture as a family company. We want to ensure the sustainability of the business for the next generation. This means that what we do has to be both profitable and in tune with the environment in which we operate. We have a very strong focus on this, and are continually considering initiatives that can contribute to a sustainable maritime industry.”

The project will see 42,000 solar panels installed on the rooftops of production facilities at 8 Damen shipyards in the Netherlands.

Collectively, the panels will cover some 75,000m2 and generate 13% of energy required by Damen’s annual operations in the Netherlands.

The first yard to be installed with the solar panels is Damen Shipyards Gorinchem West. It will be followed by Damen Dredging Equipment Nijkerk, and Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld by the end of August. By the end of the year, Damen Maaskant Shipyards Stellendam and Amels will follow suit, with Damen Veroime, Damen Shiprepair Rotterdam, and Damen Shipyards Gorinchem East both undergoing installation before the end of 2020.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg,“ Gerard explains, “We are further developing the program with the intention of assessing the viability of rolling out more solar panels – as well as wind energy – to our other shipyards, not only in the Netherlands, but also internationally. Wherever we are working in the world, we are committed to making sure our operations are as clean as can be.”