Damen Shipyards Group held a joint steel cutting and keel laying ceremony at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania. The event simultaneously marked two significant milestones in the construction of an innovative Multi-Purpose Ship for the Portuguese Navy.
The event was hosted by Damen Chief Commercial Officer Jan-Wim Dekker and attended by honourable guests, the Portuguese Minister of National Defence, Nuno Melo and the Chief of Portuguese Naval Staff, Admiral Gouveia e Melo. The Chief Guests carried out the steel cutting and keel laying of the vessel.
The contract for the ship was signed by the two parties in November last year following a tender process. The project is funded by the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) that is part of NextGenerationEU (the economic recovery package to support EU member states affected by the COVID-19 pandemic).
Chief of Portuguese Naval Staff Admiral Gouveia e Melo, said, “This is a ship with a revolutionary concept that was conceived by the Portuguese Navy. It is a multi-domain ship, specifically in the air, surface, and subsurface components. It can carry out numerous and varied missions, such as scientific research and experimentation related to drones and robotics, as well as support in emergency and disaster situations.
“It represents a significant advantage in construction, operation, and maintenance costs, with an open modular architecture that allows for quick adaptation according to the missions and tasks assigned to it.”
The Multi-Purpose Ship forms part of Damen’s Support Ship range. The range, spanning 7000-9000 tons, applies proven, standard solutions where possible to ensure fast, reliable and cost-effective construction.
Considering a concept presented by the Portuguese Navy, Damen has cooperated closely with its client in the development of a vessel to meet its specific requirements The ship, the NRP Dom João II, offers unrivalled versatility, with capabilities spanning scientific and technological research, search & rescue, emergency relief, as well as maritime safety and environmental & meteorological monitoring.
In acknowledgement of the growing importance of drones and autonomous technology in emergency relief and surveillance, the Multi-Purpose Ship is capable of transporting and launching Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUV), Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). For the latter, this includes a 94 x 11 metre flight deck.
The 107-metre vessel features 650m2 deck space, suitable for the transportation of up to twelve TEUs. These can be used to house mission-specific modular systems such as hospitals, hyperbaric chambers and ROV equipment, as required.
To facilitate oceanic exploration and research, the Multi-Purpose Ship will feature both state-of-the-art laboratory facilities and accommodation for scientific personnel.
Minister of Portuguese National Defence Nuno Melo said, “The vast maritime area under Portuguese jurisdiction represents a big part of the Exclusive Economic Zones of all European Union Member States. Safeguarding this domain is essential, particularly as we face growing strategic competition in the North Atlantic. It is imperative that we strengthen our capabilities to address these threats and secure the resources of our seabed, which are of critical strategic value.
“The future Multifunctional Ship is a key element in responding to these challenges. By incorporating advanced technologies such as robotic aerial, surface and subsurface systems, alongside artificial intelligence, we are positioning ourselves at the forefront of maritime innovation. This ship will not only enhance the effectiveness and safety of our operations at sea, but it will also contribute across various sectors, from environmental monitoring to fisheries enforcement and scientific research.”
Damen Chief Commercial Officer, Jan-Wim Dekker said, “We are proud to have been selected to build this spectacular vessel for the Portuguese Navy. The cutting of steel and keel laying at Damen Shipyards Galati represent major steps forward in the construction of this Multi-Purpose Ship that will enable the Portuguese Navy to undertake the most demanding missions and at the same time the ability to perform research activities in the deepest areas of the ocean. It also underlines Damen’s firm relationship with the Portuguese Navy and shows a further example of European defence industry cooperation.”
NRP Dom João II is scheduled for delivery in year 2026, whereupon she will join two other Damen-built vessels, the 122-metre-long NRP Bartolomeu Dias and NRP D. Francisco de Almeida.