After months of careful
and precise planning, Shabab Oman was safely launched in Romania before
being towed to Vlissingen in the Netherlands for her final outfitting
in December 2013.
The three-masted steel
clipper will play a key role in training young Omani naval cadets
and officers, as well as being deployed as an ‘ambassador’
for her country, where she will sail the world’s oceans demonstrating
Oman’s centuries-old maritime tradition.
Due for delivery in August
2014, the STV was towed though the Black Sea, Bosphorus, Mediterranean
and into the Bay of Biscay before arriving at Damen Schelde Naval
Shipbuilding in Vlissingen, in the south of the Netherlands, on January
14.
The Royal Navy of Oman
has had a strong team overseeing the build in Romania and the same
team will be based in Vlissingen. Overall project management and procurement
is in the hands of Damen Shipyards Gorinchem, also the company’s
headquarters.
Traditional
Although the clipper looks like a beautiful traditional teak vessel
externally, she boasts the most modern technology inside. The sail
training clipper has a traditional Omani look, with elegantly hand-carved,
gilded scrollwork and nameplates.
While in Vlissingen
the three 50-metre steel/aluminum masts, rigging and spars will be
installed, as well as the exterior teak woodwork and decking, and
the interior wood lining furnishing and finish done by Hertel. The
technology systems will be commissioned by Imtech Marine/Alewijnse,
Johnson controls and other companies. And although she has modern
cooling systems and generators, it is all about hands-on sailing,
nothing is automatic.
Investing
in fleet
Oman’s decision to invest in the Sail Training Vessel is in
addition to its efforts to boost its naval capabilities with a fleet
expansion.
Damen Project Manager Arnoud
Both, comments: “The vessel is on schedule and we are very proud
to be involved in such a prestigious project for the Royal Navy of
Oman.”
This is Damen’s third
Sail Training Vessel Clipper type order, after previously engineering
and building the ‘Stad Amsterdam’ and the ‘Cisne
Branco’, the Brazilian navy’s new STV. All three were
designed by Dykstra Naval Architects, based in Amsterdam.
