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On 10 August, the contract was signed in Cartagena, Colombia, for the technical support and supply of components for the construction of the Plataforma Estratégica de Superficie (PES – Strategic Surface Platform). The design is based on the SIGMA 10514 and will be built by the Corporación de Ciencia y Tecnología para el Desarrollo de la Industria Naval, Marítima y Fluvial (COTECMAR).
Naval Consultant Jos van der Meijden.
Damen Naval entered into an agreement with COTECMAR in October 2022 to jointly conduct a design study for a new class of frigates. Since then, there have been extensive consultations on the design and negotiations on the price. “It took a while and it always remains exciting until it is signed. It was a very interesting process and as a team we are very happy that it worked out,” says Naval Consultant Jos van der Meijden who led the tender team as Tender Manager. “This is a different project from what we are used to. We are now not doing everything ourselves and are not a main contractor. We are supplying the design and components and that requires a different mindset.”
Now that the contract has been signed, he is happy with the result. “It is a nice export project and ensures that SIGMA remains relevant. It also offers opportunities again in other countries. A SIGMA is a true frigate, and it is always unique to sell one. It gives a boost that we have now sold the 11th SIGMA and the fourth 10514. That news goes around the world.”
Jos joined Damen Naval in April 2023 as Manager Naval Sales Support, a job title that changed to Naval Consultant with Time for Change. In June of the same year, he was asked to join the PES project. “That was an intensive period. I was new to the organisation and was still getting to know the people and discovering how the business processes work. At the same time, I had to discover what the role of Tender Manager entailed and make sure the internal organisation was in place and the right people were on the team. That too was an interesting challenge, because everyone was already very busy, and we asked them to make a commitment to PES.”
The contract with Colombia was signed on 10 August in sunny Cartagena.
For Jos, there were two more big challenges: keeping track of what was in the contract and the contact with the customer. “The contract went backwards and forwards many times, being adjusted. It also turned out that a price increase was needed halfway through the negotiations due to macroeconomic developments and inflation. That meant we had to make sure the customer continued to have confidence in us. And we succeeded in that!”
"A SIGMA is a true frigate, and it is always unique to sell one. It gives a boost that we have now sold the 11th SIGMA and the fourth 10514. That news goes around the world.” Jos van der Meijden
As a result of all the discussions and negotiations, it took longer than expected until there was a final contract. For example, a detailed demarcation list had to be drawn up, covering exactly which part of the engineering will be done by Damen Naval and which part COTECMAR will do itself. “To arrive at this division of responsibilities, there were a lot of discussions back and forth. In addition, we also had to go through the internal Damen approval process: our Management Team, the Risk Board, the Executive Board, and the Supervisory Board.”
And just when there seemed to be an agreement, it turned out that the Colombian government’s budget was insufficient due to economic setbacks in the country and the parties had to talk to each other again. “We ended up drawing up an options list. All those adjustments made for a contract with many documents and annexes, and they all had to be checked very carefully by the tender team.”
Damen Naval will provide engineering support and components for the construction of the Plataforma Estratégica de Superficie.
Over the past year, Jos travelled to Colombia several times and also did his best to learn Spanish. “I went back and forth twelve times in a year. Especially during the intensive negotiations, I was there every one to two weeks with our team. Unfortunately, I did not yet speak Spanish, so I took a course and practised every day with DuoLingo. By now, my listening and reading skills are adequate, only speaking remains difficult. But all the travelling and practising has been worth it.”
The PES vessel will have a length of 107.5 metres and a width of 14.02 metres. According to Jos, COTECMAR hopes to eventually build five frigates. “It’s a great contract for both parties: we supply the material, do the basic and detailed engineering up to the 3D model, and can provide technical support during construction and commissioning,” Jos explains. “In addition, it represents a significant investment in local employment and the technological development of the Colombian maritime industry. This project takes COTECMAR to the next level as a ship designer and builder.”
The internal kick-off for the project was held in Van der Valk Hotel Middelburg in early October.
Jos looks back on a great but intense year. “I saw myself as a kind of conductor, making sure everyone plays together harmoniously and starts and stops playing on time. I found it very impressive to see how skilled everyone is and the passion they have for their work. We really enjoyed working together as a tender team and we can be proud of the result.”
According to the schedule, the first steel will be cut in late 2025 and the first frigate will be ready in 2030.