The Dutch government is currently in a tender process to renew its Walrus-class submarine fleet and Huisman wants to join in on the action.

The crane manufacturer aims to carry out detailed engineering and production of parts of the pressure hull as well as assembly of elements and parts of submarines, including marine engineering systems. The company also wants to facilitate the overall assembly and testing of the submarines.

According to Huisman, its new Submarine Handling Crane offers a safe and easy method to handle complete submarines and lift them from the assembly hall into the harbour and vice versa.

“The location of the submarine facility in the heart of the Rotterdam area facilitates cooperation with the Dutch maritime cluster, contributing significantly to the future Dutch content for the submarine replacement”, Huisman states, adding that the importance of investing in higher local Dutch content is obvious.

“The government receives a 125% return on investment for every euro spent in the Netherlands, contrary to a full cash out spent abroad. Involving the Dutch maritime cluster early in the programme reduces risks and therefore costs for initial investments. At the same time, it ensures long-term local employment which is of great value to the area, following the economic downturn as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic”, the company states.