Damen Anchor & Chain Factory supplies and installs anchor and chain in just one day
Damen Anchor & Chain Factory (AKF) is recognised as a leading supplier of anchors and chain cables. Now the factory, based in the Port of Rotterdam, has further excelled itself, taking just one day to supply and install anchor and chain to the 260m long, 4253 TEU, container vessel Benedict Schulte, Damen said Thursday in a press release.
The quick response from AKF meant there was no vessel downtime at all as it was already unloading at the Uniport terminal at Waalhaven, Rotterdam. “We used a combination of Damen’s technical know-how, expertise and heavy lifting equipment and took just one day to collect the anchor and chain from the Damen Anchor & Chain Factory, ship it to the vessel and install it while the vessel was unloading,” explained General Manager Laurens van Gelder.
The equipment installed comprised 87mm anchor chain and a 9225kg AC-14 type anchor.
Ocean Ship Management, responsible for the maintenance of Benedict Schulte, praised the installation.
“The accurate response of Damen Anchor & Chain Factory and the wide range of stock and technical solutions offered to us resulted in a quick and high quality installation of the anchor and chain equipment,” said Frank Wilhelm Heidrich. “This has resulted in zero downtime of our vessel.”
The superior service provided was helped by good communication and cooperation between Ocean Ship Management, AKF and its relationships with businesses within the Port of Rotterdam. The accurate technical response of AKF’s onsite partner Karel van Berghem also contributed.
“Good communication was key,” added Mr Van Gelder. “It’s the first time we’ve worked on the ship but the project shows that we can complete jobs of this type easily with a quick response time.”
AKF was a manufacturer and supplier of anchors and chains for more than 75 years. The company now focuses on supplying the products but has maintained its manufacturing experience and knowledge allowing it to carry out repairs and modifications in-house. Vast stocks of anchors and chains are held onsite allowing a quick turnaround with no delays.
The company is a member of the Damen Shipyards Group. Benedict Schulte is part of the Thomas Schulte Group’s fleet of vessels. She has a deadweight of 51,757T and was built in 2009.
Gorinchem, Netherlands based Damen Shipyards Group (established in 1927) is a globally operating company with 35 owned shipyards and numerous partner yards. Damen employs over 6,000 people, has built over 5,000 vessels in more than 100 countries and delivers approximately 180 vessels annually to customers worldwide. Damen specializes in building tugs, workboats, patrol vessels, high speed craft, cargo vessels, dredgers, offshore support vessels, oil-spill response vessels, frigates and mega yachts. Besides, Damen offers efficient customer support, customer financing and complete lifecycle service.
Damen Shiprepair & Conversion
In addition to ship design and shipbuilding, Damen Shiprepair & Conversion (DSC) offers a network of 15 repair and conversion yards worldwide, with dry docks ranging up to 420x80 metres. Conversion projects range from adapting vessels to today’s requirements and regulations to the complete conversion of large offshore structures. DSC handles 1,500 repair and maintenance jobs annually.
Damen Anchor & Chain Factory
Damen Anchor & Chain Factory (AKF) is a leading supplier of marine anchors, anchor chains and accessories. As well as dealing in anchors and chains, AKF has the capability to make fully-certified, custom-built towing chains. Advanced manufacturing facilities and skilled workforce enable repairs and modifications to be carried out efficiently and responsibly. The facility is located on the premises of Damen Shiprepair Rotterdam and continually strives to expand its ambitions and set new goals with the aim of finding new ways to serve customers and support their business objectives.
