HNLMS Johan de Witt: Contract signed for the purchase of large components

The midlife update (MLU) and five-year special survey of the HNLMS Johan de Witt is picking up speed. In mid-February, Damen Naval signed a contract with DMO for the purchase of large components for the naval vessel. The contract is for those parts with a long delivery time – the ‘long lead items’ – and is therefore important for the implementation and the duration of the project. Project Director Fer Tummers: “For a good project execution, you need to have all the items in on time. For the lead-time of the contract, receiving the information from the suppliers at this time means that we can incorporate this into our drawings, which in turn is important for the planning of the engineering process.”

The large components ordered could have a delivery time of up to nine months, says Fer. “It is therefore important to be able to purchase these systems on time. Here we are talking about things like fuel separators for the purification of diesel oil and fire extinguishing pumps.” It is a great and exciting job to be giving the amphibious transport ship a makeover, adds Fer. Put into service in November 2007, HNLMS Johan de Witt is one of two Landing Platform Docks (LPDs) built by Damen Naval for the Royal Netherlands Navy. Its sister ship is the slightly shorter HNLMS Rotterdam.

“Damen Naval is now busy finishing off the detailed engineering. The execution of the contract for the long lead items runs parallel to this.” According to the Project Director, the project is still in line with the original schedule. This is certainly a good thing, especially considering that the content and scope of this MLU differs from typical new build contracts. “Usually Damen Naval is the main contractor, but Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) has contracted both Damen Naval and RH Marine for this project. Thanks to the good cooperation between the various parties, we think we can get the job done on time.”

“As Damen Naval, we will have a year to perform everything – and it appears that this will work. Updating an existing ship is very different from building a new ship. You can compare it to the difference between remodelling your house and building a new house. For a new house, you make your design from scratch and the house takes shape gradually. When you renovate a house, you first have to clear it out. It’s at this time that you come across unexpected things. This is what we are seeing with this MLU. You sometimes come across things on-board that no longer correspond with the original construction drawings. However, this is not surprising for a ship that has been in service for almost fourteen years.”

According to the contract, Damen Naval has until the end of 2022 to completely complete the MLU. HNLMS Johan de Witt will come to Vlissingen-East this year, when a number of on-board systems will be removed and replaced. Damen Naval and Damen Shiprepair Vlissingen (DSV) will then join forces to work on the five-year special survey of the 176-metre long transport ship.