Curacao Ports Authority NV ("CPA") signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Nederex BV. (Nederex) and B.V. Damen Shipyards Gorinchem (Damen) on the 30th of April. Damen Shipyards and Nederex are engaged in ship repair and the provision of maritime services. Last year CPA and Nederex signed a concession agreement with regard to the activities of Nederex within the St. Anna Bay, from an area which is managed by CPA.
"This cooperation is an important step in the right direction," said Humberto de Castro, CPA's CEO. "The MOU with Nederex and Damen will strengthen our port and is certainly a positive factor for the economy of Curaҫao."
Damen is located in the Netherlands and operates 32 other ship and repair yards worldwide, with more than 9,000 people. Damen will offer its ship repair and marine services from Curacao and will work together with Nederex to exploit the concession granted by CPA to Nederex. In the recently signed MOU, the parties have defined their further arrangements in order to come to a collaboration with regard to these operations.
"It is our intention to have our own floating dock for maintenance and repairs for Damen customers here in the region," Jaap de Lange suggests, Damen Services Director. "We hope to be ready for our first customer at the end of this year or early 2016."
Albert Zwueste, the COO of CPA, says already a working group is in place to work out the technical aspects, including obtaining the necessary permits for the activities surrounding this project.
"As the Curaҫao Ports Authority we are very pleased with the signing of this MOU," said Raul Manotas, the CCO of CPA. "This project will have a direct, positive impact on maritime traffic in our port, and that is exactly what we need for our port."