EN 
RO At Damen, not only is the quality of shipbuilding prioritized, but also the family values that unite people
worldwide. The spirit of support and mutual assistance is felt everywhere—at shipyards, in offices, at
home, and during leisure time. For Ukrainians affected by the war, this support has been especially
valuable. Damen does not abandon its own, helping children and their families build a future despite
today’s challenges.
One of the brightest examples of this support has been the creation of unique educational initiatives for
teenagers. This year, an extraordinary event awaited them—the Summer School “Shipbuilder’s
Adventure” in Galați, Romania.
Thanks to the initiative of the Damen Helpt Foundation, the generous contributions of Damen colleagues,
and the efforts of the Association for Helping Ukrainians, teenagers from Mykolaiv, Uzhhorod, and
Galați had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of shipbuilding. The program was intense:
meetings with Damen’s subcontracting companies, excursions to production facilities, and lectures from
leading specialists.
On the very first day, the students visited Damen Shipyards Galați—one of Europe’s most important
shipbuilding yards. After an introduction to safety protocols, the young shipbuilders took a tour where
they observed all stages of vessel construction, equipment operation, and even ship assembly processes.
The next day, they visited the Marine Design Engineering Galati office, where they not only observed
engineers at work but also had the opportunity to try their hand at ship design.
Throughout the week, they painted, modeled, worked on promotional materials, and developed teamwork
and leadership skills. The highlight of the week was an ambitious goal—the creation of a Damen PSV
3300 ship model. Under the guidance of representatives from Nauticus Models Galați and Oleksii
Popov (MDEG), the teenagers went through all stages of shipbuilding: from creating the hull using 3D
printing to working on the design and outfitting details. A week of intensive work, expert consultations,
and lively discussions culminated in the creation of a unique ship model.
Beyond technical knowledge, the school participants improved their project management, presentation,
and teamwork skills. The best reward was the opportunity to present their project to Annelies Damen
and Arnout Damen, members of the Damen Shipyard Group Executive Board.
Even more importantly, many teenagers reconsidered their future after attending the summer school and
began dreaming of careers in shipbuilding, management, and content projects.
