Damen Shipyards Group has formed a joint venture with the Senegalese Government to operate Damen Shiprepair Dakar on the West African coast. The government is represented by Société des Infrastructures de Réparation Navale (SIRN), with the partners set to provide a broad range of ship repair and maintenance services.
The Dakar yard has long-standing historical value and is one of the few repair facilities of its size in the region. Its location enables the yard to support existing and new clients operating in the area, including companies serving the local offshore energy industry in the coming years.
Alongside repair work, Damen Shipyards Group has a long-term ambition to restore newbuilding activities at the shipyard. The facility includes a 191 x 25 m drydock, a 235 x 38 m floating dock, and a 63 x 15 m synchrolift with a lifting capacity of 1,200 tonnes and four cradles. It also has 500 m of quayside with a draught of 9 m.
The yard employs more than 300 personnel and works with numerous subcontractors. Babacar Faye, Managing Director of SIRN, said the joint venture marks an important step in revitalizing the Dakar shipyard, supporting sustainable growth, skills transfer, technical capability upgrades, and long-term value for Senegal’s economy and workforce.
Damen Shipyards Group said its first priority as operator is to align the yard with its wider shipyard network. This includes Health, Safety, Environment and Quality processes, IT landscape integration, and HR management.
Jeroen Heesters, Managing Director of Damen Shiprepair, said the company intends to develop the yard’s capabilities through a capital expenditure investment program. The program is intended to provide the infrastructure needed to bring the Dakar yard into line with Damen’s other repair yards and support the high safety standards required by the offshore energy industry.
Frederick Vandepitte, Damen Regional Director Africa, said the company will focus on building sustainable ship repair capabilities, including the opening of a local training center. The initiative is aimed at further developing existing skills at the yard and helping create additional employment opportunities in the region.
The joint venture partners are already welcoming their first clients to the Dakar yard.
