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Major steps have once again been taken in the F126 programme: Europe’s largest frigate project that is being led by Damen Naval. “Contract negotiations with a number of key suppliers have been successfully completed,” says Commercial Director Giel Venema. “This concerns contracts for the procurement of mission and platform systems. Very recently, another important deal was concluded with Wärtsilä SAM Electronics in Hamburg for the integration of the electrical systems on board the vessels.” Meanwhile, the final design phase for the construction of the four F126 class frigates is about to begin.
“In June 2020 the contract was signed and in the past year we have completed the so-called simulation phase,” Giel continues. “That was actually the preparation for the design phase. In that simulation phase, all the requirements and specifications that the ships had to meet were translated into technical requirements that served as the basis for the basic design.” The work is progressing according to plan and customer sites have recently been visited. “For the first time since the contract was signed, a number of Damen Naval colleagues from the Landanlagen and ILS projects were able to visit naval training sites in northern Germany.”
“Everyone is working very hard to make it a success and eventually we will succeed in ensuring that is it." Giel Venema
Commercieel Directeur Giel Venema.
“They have gained a lot of useful knowledge during visits to the naval sites. Employees of Damen Naval were also invited to visit project partner Blohm+Voss in Hamburg to take a look at ships currently being built there for the German Navy. With initiatives like these, the F126 project has entered a phase in which we are becoming more visible.” The team working on the project is now growing steadily and already numbers around two hundred dedicated specialists, according to Giel. “We are very happy with the help we are getting from HR, which is managing the expansion of the team together with the line organisation.”
The F126 team operates across three locations: Vlissingen, Hamburg and Schiedam, “a situation that for the average Damen Naval employee adds an extra dimension to the project”. The ambitious F126 project is the largest frigate programme in Europe. “The organisation is now up and running,” says Giel proudly. “Everyone is working very hard to make it a success and eventually we will succeed in ensuring that is it. Of course, there have also been bottlenecks up to now. Together with German consultants, a management improvement project was carried out, the aim of which was to optimise the cohesion of the entire project.”
Artist impression of one of the F126-frigates in front of the Hamburg skyline.
“It is completely understandable that the project organisation has taken this step, especially when you take into account how extensive and complex this project is, while also being dependent on external partners who are involved.” The Commercial Director pauses to consider André Hollander’s farewell. “André recently retired; his farewell reception was on 10 November. He was, of course, one of the very first men on this mega-project. André was the leader of the proposal team and I can say that without his commitment we would not have got this job. The project organisation is extremely grateful to him for that.”
During his recent retirement party, André Hollander spoke via videolink to Rudolf Braun, F126-project leader for BAAINBw.