The yard, located on Curacao near the coast of South America is owned by the government and since 2017 has been leased to Damen.
The shipyard recently undertook a $1.1m for the overhaul of the door on one of the yard’s four dry docks, in anticipation of the approval for a broader investment programme.
“This important investment should be the go-ahead for a large-scale renovation programme for the yard. The decision on the investment programme for the yard will be made in a few weeks,” Peter Luiten, General Manager of Damen Shiprepair Curacao told the Curacao media.
According to newspapers, the plans call for a $36m investment. After Damen took over the management of the yard, the company upgraded the facilities with two floating drydocks. The larger of the two measures 229.8m in length able to accommodate tankers, boxships, and other larger vessels. The smaller floating dock measures approximately 100m and is suited for tugs, workboats, and offshore support and anchor handling vessels.
The yard also has two graving docks with the larger able to accommodate vessels up to 209.7m in length and a capacity of 150,000 tonnes. The second graving dock has a capacity for vessels up to approximately 170 m in length and 28,000 tonnes. The yard also offers three mooring and repair quays with a total length of nearly 1,006m.
Curacao has one of the largest oil refineries in the region, but the 330,000-bpd Isla refinery was idled in 2018 during a dispute between its then Venezuelan operator Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) and oil company ConocoPhillips. Since the expiration of Isla refinery lease at the end of 2019, the government has looked to attract new operators for the facility.
The re-opening of the refinery would likely be a boost to the business and is likely contributing to the decision to invest in the yard’s facilities
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