The Netherlands: Damen to Build Ferry 3508 for Chinese Company

Liuzhou Yinliu Hotel Management Co. Ltd. (China) has ordered a Damen Ferry 3508 with Afai Southern Shipyard (China). The DFe 3508 is a 35m Aluminium Luxury Sightseeing Ferry and is designated for the municipal government of Guangxi Liuzhou.

As Liuzhou is the main business port of the Guangxi Zhuang region, the city will use the ferry for receiving both government and industry representatives for official meetings and sightseeing tours along the Liujiang River.Delivery is scheduled in the first quarter of 2013.

The DFe 3508, the first one of its kind, is specifically designed for this client and this application. It has a passenger capacity of 100 persons. The ferry is outfitted with a conference room, a VIP-room and spacious passenger rooms with extensive catering facilities.

According to Henk Grunstra, Product Director Fast Ferries at Damen’s HQ in Gorinchem (The Netherlands), the current newbuild is a good example of high quality euro-asian cooperation. “We are complementary to a high degree with our partners in China. From an early stage, Damen has been monitoring the development of Chinese shipyards and slowly we’ve started to cooperate with some of the best of them. In addition Damen was the first European shipbuilder with its own shipyard in China. Over the years Afai Southern’s production capacity and capability has grown. They match with Damen’s vessel designs and our approach to shipbuilding.”

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Offshore Nieuws  Staff, March 06, 2012; Image:  Damen