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Damen Naval has an impressive reputation for building high-quality naval vessels. Occasionally, it also builds other exceptional ships, such as the icebreaker and research vessel ASRV Nuyina. In 2014, the company helped build another exceptional ship: the sail training ship Shabab Oman II for the Royal Navy of Oman. The construction of this three-masted square rigged clipper was a joint project between Damen Shipyards and Damen Naval.
Arjan Poortvliet.
At the time, Arjen Poortvliet was closely involved in the project as the link between Gorinchem and Vlissingen. Currently, he is Site Team Manager for the Combat Support Ship project in Romania. Amidst all the work there, he found time for a chat and looked back on a special project. “It was a complex project. The contract was signed with Gorinchem, the ship was built in Galatz, Romania, and the finishing was partly done in Vlissingen. DSNS did the engineering, but the procurement and commissioning were done by Gorinchem and the production was a combination.”
Arjen has worked at Damen Naval since 2008. In the past 15 years he has been involved in several projects, including two hulls for Damen Yachting and the third frigate for Morocco. He also worked for a short period in Gorinchem. Because of this experience, he was asked to supervise the project on behalf of Damen Naval together with the now retired Arnoud Both.
Shabab Oman II is an 87-metre long ship with a beam of 11 metres. She has 29 sails totalling 2,630 square metres.
“My primary role was to supervise the docking, do the calculations for the cranes needed to erect the masts, for example, and supply people for the work in Vlissingen. I was working on the JSS Karel Doorman at the same time, so it was sometimes busy, but it was especially nice to work with the various Damen companies. The set-up of the project was quite unique and therefore challenging.”
Shabab Oman II is an 87-metre long ship with a beam of 11 metres. She has 29 sails totalling 2,630 square metres and can reach a sailing speed of 17 knots. The ship was designed by Dykstra Naval Architects, the company that also designed the Clipper Stad Amsterdam. This sailing ship is modelled on the mid-19th century frigate Amsterdam, but is not a replica; for example, it has a steel hull. “The crew of the Clipper Stad Amsterdam helped us at the time with the sea trials and also to train the Omani crew,” says Arjen.
"I missed the handover of the ship, because my daughter Hanne was born the day before. It was a nice way to conclude the project.” Arjan Poortvliet
A mix of different woods was used for the luxurious interior of the Shabab Oman II.
Although the two ships are very similar, the Shabab Oman II is even more luxurious. Below deck, different types of wood have been used, decorated in Omani style. On the walls are paintings and lamps that could have come straight out of One Thousand and One Nights. There is a hospital, a luxurious lobby and, apart from the traditional round steering wheel on deck, a modern bridge with all the necessary equipment. Here you will also find a cabinet with an open version of the holy Koran. There is room for 94 people on board: four VIPs, 54 crew members and 36 trainees.
The keel for the ship was laid in March 2013 in Galati. On 2 December 2013, the ship was launched, after which she was towed to Vlissingen in January 2014 for fitting out. “When the ship arrived in Vlissingen, it turned out that it was not as ready as expected,” says Arjen. “Furthermore, the launching of the ship had not gone quite smoothly. The water level in the river was rather low and the ship was making a lot of speed. Once in the water, it tilted over a bit and sustained some damage.”
The Shabab Oman II sails alongside the Clipper Stad Amsterdam, whose crew helped with the sea trials at the time.
To repair the damage and carry out further work, the vessel was taken into Dock 2 at Damen Yachting. But that too was a challenge. “The ship has a rising keel, which made the construction of the dock bed a little more complex than usual,” recalls Arjen. “Also, the ship was higher than expected, which meant we only had ten centimetres of clearance. Fortunately, we were able to lower the blocks ten centimetres. We also put someone in the crane to make sure the ship didn’t hit the top of the dock. It all just fitted.”
In Vlissingen, the masts were also installed and the complex rigging was fitted. “I still remember the installation of the masts,” Arjen laughs. “They were gigantic: the highest was 50 metres. A special crane had to be installed to position the masts and attach the sails.”
In July, Damen Naval engineer Leon Joosse photographed the Shabab Oman II off the coast of Zeeland on its way to Antwerp.
But the end result is impressive. In the PZC of 13 September 2014, Damen Naval Managing Director Hein van Ameijden called the Shaba Oman II “the most beautiful ship that Damen ever built”. “It really is a wonderful ship,” thinks Arjen. “It was a bit of a challenge during the project, but in the end it all worked out well. And the result is great.” The ship was delivered to the Omani Navy on 12 September 2014, but unfortunately Arjen had to let that opportunity pass him by. But for a very good reason: “On 11 September my daughter Hanne was born,” he smiles. “That was a nice way to conclude the project.”
On 14 September 2014, the Shabab Oman II departed from Vlissingen and sailed along the boulevard one last time. After a brief stopover in Den Helder, it began its homeward journey on 5 October 2014. Since then, she has made several major trips and is a welcome guest at sailing events. She recently returned to the Netherlands for Sail Harlingen from 14-17 July and from 22-25 July the ship could be admired in Antwerp during the 2022 Tall Ship Races.