Alewijnse, a leading electrical system integrator for the maritime industry, is gearing up for a bright future as it expands its presence at Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam. In response to rising demand, Alewijnse is significantly increasing its on-site installation team to support the shipyard’s growing production targets. Damen Song Cam Shipyard, in Vietnam plans to ramp up production to as many as eighty tugs and workboats per year—a major milestone for the Vietnamese shipbuilding sector.
Vietnam has experienced significant growth in recent years and is emerging as the new factory of the world. This trend is set to continue in the coming years, with more and more international companies establishing their production facilities in Vietnam, close to the Chinese border and maritime routes. Tax incentives, low labour costs, and a stable political situation also play a role. Additionally, Vietnam is a signatory of fifteen free trade agreements.
Damen Song Cam Shipyard and Alewijnse are riding the wave of this economic growth and are seeing the demand for small workboats continue to rise. Since the opening of the specialised shipyard in 2014, the two companies have already delivered more than 100 ships together, including tugboats, workboats, patrol vessels, and crew tenders for both the civilian and military markets. Production capacity will only continue to grow in the coming years.
A groundbreaking innovation within this collaboration is the RSD Tug 2513 Electric, the world’s first fully electric tugboat. With a pulling power of 70 tons, this powerful tug can manoeuvre even the largest ships and perform two or more missions before needing to recharge. This recharging only takes two hours. The electric harbour tug marks an important transition from diesel to clean, emission-free tugboats.
What is the secret behind the successful collaboration between Damen Song Cam and Alewijnse? “Our customers appreciate that we deliver projects with a high level of quality, competitive prices, and within the agreed timelines,” explains Daniel Pop, Director of Alewijnse Vietnam. “We have our own panel-building facility, which was recently expanded by 25% to 1,000 m² to meet the growing demand for switchboard production in Southeast Asia. With this increased capacity, we can take on more orders and offer reliable, energy-efficient custom solutions to various clients.”
The competitive position is further strengthened by offering local engineering expertise for all types of projects. Daniel adds, “Engineering is one of Alewijnse Vietnam’s core competencies. Our team works on various maritime projects, both locally and internationally. We want to further expand our service offerings to support European projects remotely, fulfilling our ambition to become the leading electrical system integrator in Southeast Asia.”
