Damen Shipyards Group has held a keel-laying ceremony for Herman Senior’s new Multi-Purpose Vessel (MPV) 4916, marking a key milestone in the construction of the first vessel in the series.
The ceremony took place at the Albwardy Damen Shipyard in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, where the vessel is being built.
Herman Senior has named the vessel Smokey, continuing its long-standing tradition of naming ships after famous bears. In keeping with maritime custom, the keel-laying ceremony also included the welding of two coins to the keel. A historic Dutch Rijksdaalder and a UAE Dirham were selected to symbolize the vessel’s Dutch heritage and its place of construction.
Herman Senior is a long-term customer of Damen and operates several Damen-designed vessels across its fleet. The company is frequently the launch customer for first-in-series Damen vessels, reflecting the close cooperation between the two family-owned businesses.
“We are very proud to continue to support Herman Senior with this latest order for an MPV 4916,” said Leon Fijnekam, Commercial Manager at Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld. “Our two companies have been working together for almost 80 years. The key to the long-standing success of our relationship lies in our shared values as family businesses, with a strong focus on quality and a clear vision for the future.”
Erwin van Dodewaard, Managing Director at Herman Senior, said the vessel represents an important step in expanding the company’s offshore capabilities. “The keel laying of MPV Smokey marks a significant milestone in the further development of our fleet.
With this first-of-its-kind vessel, we are investing in versatility, reliability and long-term operational value. Our long-standing cooperation with Damen allows us to translate these ambitions into a vessel that is well suited for the future offshore energy market.”
The MPV 4916 is expected to strengthen Herman Senior’s offshore operations, combining flexible capabilities with a design focused on durability and long-term performance.
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