VSH will take over nearly all 75 permanent employees that were already working at the location and will rent the real estate from Van Sluisveld.

Considerable production and pre-fabrication facilities as well as two slipways are located at the yard.

 Based on the current order book and the market outlook, IHC Holland Merwede momentarily is in need of expansion, particularly with regard to pre-fabrication and section building capacity.

VSH will concentrate primarily on preparing and section building for the other IHC Holland Merwede yards although both slipways offer the possibility to build complete vessels. On Slipway West vessels up to approximately 35.5m wide and 185m long can be built whilst Slipway East can accommodate newbuilds up to 25.5m wide and 185m long. There is room to extend the slipways by 20m and 10m respectively.

Earlier this year and for the same reasons, IHC Holland Merwede rent the former Alblas Scheepsbouw BV in Hendrik Ido Ambacht. The Group also has four covered slipways for newbuilding in the Netherlands at Kinderdijk, Hardinxveld-Giessendam, Sliedrecht and Krimpen aan den IJssel.

 VSH currently has a river cruise ship on the slipway and sections for other Dutch yards are being built. The intention is to start building sections for IHC Holland Merwede early next month.