Damen Shipyards established its presence in Finland for the first time. The company's Helsinki office was set up to take advantage of the engineering expertise which exists in the country after the group’s entry in 2018 into building large ships for the RoPax, Cruise and Offshore markets through its new Romanian yard, Damen Shipyards Mangalia.
According to Damen, Finland was chosen as the location because, together with Italy, France, and Germany, it is one of the world's leading countries in the design and build of cruise and RoPax ships; that in combination with particular expertise in ice-class ships, a growing segment of the market.
Helsinki has excellent connections to Holland and Poland, allowing for optimal collaboration between Damen engineering entities located in Rotterdam and Gdansk. Damen Engineering Helsinki Oy is expected to focus on the concept and basic engineering with the initial target of about thirty people to be based there by the end of 2020.
Image: Port of Helsinki (Finland)
The office is intended as a showcase for the company in Finland, welcoming both clients and suppliers, as well as seeking collaboration with local maritime engineering entities. A recently renovated building was selected in a central location in Helsinki. Currently, the area is undergoing regeneration from being a former industrial harbour and fish market and provides excellent commuting connections and work environment for the employees of Damen.