Concordia Damen will build the new training ship for STC Group, the AB INITIO. It has been awarded the European tender. The yard has made a distinctive and at the same time recognizable design.

The design also meets the explicit wish of STC Group to build a sustainable and future-proof ship.

Jan Kweekel, member of the Executive Board of STC Group: “We are honored that the renowned shipyard Concordia Damen is excited to take on this challenging project with us. From now on we will work together on the construction of a future-proof and state-of-the-art training ship. The project is a wonderful example of cooperation between education and the maritime sector. The AB INITIO will be the showpiece of the school and the maritime cluster. ”

The Concordia Damen team is looking forward to building the AB INITIO. Tim van Berchum of Concodia Damen says the following about it: “It promises to be a unique and multi-functional training ship, which we will also equip with the latest techniques available in the maritime sector. We welcome the partnership with STC Group and thank those involved for their trust. On to a beautiful collaboration and the training ship of the future! ”

Involve business

The coming months will be used to further develop the design into specifications in which everything is clearly recorded. In addition, STC Group expects to link the business community to this project during this period and to claim various subsidies. STC Group should have completed the financing for the AB INITIO before the end of the year.

The AB INITIO is expected to be operational in 2022. The ship will play an important role in the training of VMBO students and MBO and HBO students who follow a maritime course at STC Group.

After more than 50 years of loyal service, of which almost 20 years as a training ship of the STC Group, the current training ships Prinses Christina and Prinses Beatrix are due for replacement. At the end of 2018, pupils, students and teachers of the STC started to devise the name, determine the program of requirements and design the replacement ship. They are supported in this by specialists from the Dutch maritime industry.

See also: www.stc-group.nl/abinitio