Maja Stuwadoor Awards Damen Contract for Damen Spill Pontoon

In their first contract with Damen Shipyards Group, Netherlands-based Maja Stuwadoors took delivery of a Damen Spill Pontoon 2116. The new pontoon, called Maja 5, will catch bulk products that are spilled during the transshipment process.

In the Dutch ports of Amsterdam and Rotterdam, Maja Stuwadoors has several floating harbor cranes used for the transshipment of bulk goods for the agricultural, energy and metal sectors. These cranes are typically positioned between the quay and the bulk carrier. During the unloading process, it is a common occurrence that some of the load is lost from the crane’s grabber and thus falls into the water.

“This new pontoon can be seen as an extension of the crane pontoon,” comments Damen’s Benelux Sales Manager Roel van Eijle highlighting the spill pontoon’s principle function. “If bulk goods are dropped, they fall onto this spill pontoon instead of in the water.” As well as reduced loss of product, operators using spill pontoons will comply with European port regulations concerning water quality in harbor areas.

As the first Damen pontoon to be constructed for this specific purpose, the Maja 5 demonstrates that high-tech specifications are not a prerequisite for innovation. Essentially a very simple concept, the spill pontoon has a large closed deck with a raised 8cm edge to prevent further product loss in addition to mooring bollards in each corner. Damen also outfitted the spill pontoon with two tanks with special closable deck dowels in order to collect polluted water.

Constructed within eight weeks at one of Damen’s Chinese partner yards, the Spill Pontoon 2116 was transported to the Netherlands on Damen’s latest shipment of pre-purchased and built-for-stock vessels from local Chinese partner yards. The shipment arrived just a few months after the order – matching Maja Stuwadoors’ requirements concerning short delivery time.

“This is the first time that we have worked with Maja Stuwadoors,” says Van Eijle. “Looking at what work they perform and what equipment they have, we certainly look forward to working with them again in the future.”