Damen Shipyards Group has signed a contract with Toyota Tsusho for the delivery of four workboats.
They will be made available to the Ministry of Transport of Angola as part of a port development project financed by the Japanese government.
Damen will deliver the vessels in the first quarter of 2025. This is made possible by the practice of building standard models in series and keeping them in stock. Damen had already started building the ships at several locations in the Netherlands, Turkey and Vietnam before receiving the order in April. These are two tugs (ASD Tug 2813), a multi-purpose workboat (Pushy Cat 1004) and a passenger ship (Stan Pilot 1905).
The Japanese trading company Toyota Tshuho is a first-time customer of Damen. The company has a global presence and often works with the Japanese government – as in this case.
“The port development project will enable an increase in shipping traffic in Namibe,” said Hiroumi Ohara, General Manager Africa Power & Infrastructure Department of Toyota Tsusho. “To make this possible, the port needs a number of new, high-quality workboats.”
Damen‘s new building will play an “important role”
Damen was approached because of the company’s reputation for building “proven, high-performance vessels”. Damen is confident that the newbuildings will play an important role in the Angolan economy in the coming years.
“The first collaboration with a new customer is always a proud moment,” said Thomas Röwekamp, Regional Sales Director Asia Pacific at Damen. “Given the nature of this order, which holds significant potential for Angola, we are particularly pleased to have been selected by Toyota Tsusho. We look forward to working together on the delivery of these four vessels and building a close, long-term relationship.”
The port development project, which has been underway since 2019, is the first of its kind for Toyota Tsusho in Angola. It includes, among other things, the expansion of the container terminal in the city of Namibe and the construction of a new terminal. This will allow larger vessels to call at the port, increasing the range of goods that can be handled. The port development project is expected to create more jobs in Angola and give the country full import independence, reduce the cost of transporting goods and boost the national economy.
