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Debmarine Namibia, a subsidiary of global diamond giant De Beers, is commissioning a state-of-the-art offshore diamond recovery vessel, signaling a significant investment in its marine operations. The project, awarded to Dutch shipbuilding group Damen Shipyards, will see the construction of a new vessel designed to enhance deep-sea mining capabilities.
The new vessel, an MT 6027 model designed by Marin Teknikk, will be 177 meters long, making it the largest and most technologically advanced in Debmarine Namibia’s fleet. Its construction is underway at Damen’s shipyard in Mangalia, Romania, which is the largest of the company’s facilities.
Ruud van der Stroom, Damen’s sales director for offshore projects, highlighted the company’s focus on standardized and in-house designs, with a growing emphasis on specialized vessels for the offshore market.
Debmarine Namibia currently operates the world’s largest offshore diamond mine, working at depths of 90 to 150 meters off the coast of Namibia. The new vessel will be integral to these operations.
In a parallel effort, De Beers Marine (South Africa) will construct the specialized mission equipment in South Africa. Following the vessel’s delivery by Damen, it will be sailed to South Africa for the integration of the mining equipment, a process that will culminate in the deployment of what is expected to be a groundbreaking addition to the global diamond recovery fleet.
