Damen Shipyards Group and the Senegalese Government have set up a joint venture to run Damen Shiprepair Dakar on the West African coast. The government is represented by the Société des Infrastructures de Réparation Navale (SIRN). Together, they will provide a full range of ship repair and maintenance services.
The shipyard holds strong historical importance and stands as one of the few facilities of its scale in the region. Its location allows Damen to support both existing and new clients working in the area.
This includes companies involved in the region’s growing offshore energy sector. Alongside repair services, Damen also plans to bring shipbuilding activities back to the yard over time.
The yard features a 191 by 25-metre dry dock, a 235 by 38-metre floating dock, and a 63 by 15-metre synchrolift with a 1,200-tonne lifting capacity and four cradles. It also has 500 metres of quay with a 9-metre draught. The facility employs more than 300 people and engages many subcontractors.
Babacar Faye, managing director of SIRN, said the joint venture marks an important step in reviving the Dakar Shipyard. He noted that it will support steady growth, skills development, improved technical capacity, and long-term value for Senegal’s economy and workforce.
Damen’s immediate focus as operator is to align the yard with its global standards. This includes health, safety, environment, and quality procedures, as well as IT systems and human resource management.
Jeroen Heesters, Managing Director of Damen Shiprepair, said the company is pleased to begin the partnership. He explained that the Dakar Shipyard is well placed to support clients in the years ahead, with a strong reputation and decades of experience.
He added that Damen plans to build on these strengths through a major capital investment programme. This will upgrade infrastructure to match its global network of yards and meet the safety standards required by the offshore energy sector.
Damen’s regional director for Africa, Frederick Vandepitte, said the company looks forward to working with the Senegalese government and local partners. He noted that Damen will focus on developing sustainable ship repair capacities, including setting up a local training centre to strengthen skills and create more jobs.
The joint venture has already started receiving its first clients at the Dakar yard.
source: maritimafrica.com
African Maritime Council