Nederlandsche Dok en Scheepsbouw Maatschappij A Story of Growth and Change

The Nederlandsche Dok en Scheepsbouw Maatschappij, or NDSM, has a rich history that spans over a century. Founded in 1916, this Dutch shipbuilding company has undergone significant growth and transformation over the years.

From its early days, NDSM focused on building ships for the Dutch Navy and other maritime industries. The company's first shipyard was established in Amsterdam, with a workforce of around 1,000 employees.

As the company grew, so did its influence on the Dutch economy. By the 1950s, NDSM had become one of the largest shipbuilding companies in the Netherlands, employing over 10,000 people.

NDSM's commitment to innovation and quality has been a driving force behind its success.

Nederlandsche Dok en Scheepsbouw Maatschappij has a rich history dating back to 1920, when the company was founded as Nederlandsche Dok Maatschappij (NDM) on the north side of the IJ.

The company started with a focus on shipbuilding, but also offered ship repair, bridge construction, and the production of steam engines in its own machine factory.

In 1923, the company moved to the north side of the IJ-oever and began production on the new site, with the first ship launch taking place on July 28 of that year.

The company's growth led to the construction of Tuindorp Oostzaan in 1923 for the workers of NSM and NDM.

In 1910, the first tanker in the world that was powered by diesel engines was built at the NSM.

The tanker was a significant innovation, but it also created space problems as demand for larger ships grew.

A new location was needed to accommodate the growing needs of the NSM.

The city of Amsterdam gave permission for the construction of a new shipyard across from the IJ in 1915.

However, due to World War I, the relocation of the NSM shipyard couldn't take place immediately.

In 1920, a new company was founded on the north side of the IJ, known as Nederlandsche Dok Maatschappij (NDM). This company was established to meet the growing demand for ships.

The NDM focused on shipbuilding, but also offered repair services, bridge construction, and the production of steam engines in their own machine factory.

A significant factor driving the need for more space in shipbuilding was the growing demand for zeeschepen.

In 1923, Tuindorp Oostzaan was built for workers of the NSM and NDM shipyards, which were a major hub of activity.

The NSM moved to the north side of the IJ-oever in 1923, and production began on the new site.

On July 28, 1923, the first ship was launched into the water at the new NSM location.

In 1946, NDM and NSM decided to work together under the name NDSM, but they remained two separate production companies.

The company had its own training institute where people were trained to become lasser, bankwerker, metaalbewerker, modelmaker, and more.

Each ship that was launched was often bigger or more innovative than its predecessor.

NDSM's innovative approach led to the creation of remarkable ships that left a lasting impact in the industry.

The end of an era for NDSM was marked by a series of setbacks and failed attempts to revive the shipyard.

In 1978, the government stopped providing extra credit to RSV unless the loss-making shipbuilding, machinery building, and foundry departments were closed. This led to the closure of the shipbuilding department on September 27, 1978.

The shipyard's decline continued, and in 1979, a new shipbuilding yard, Nederlandse Scheepsbouw Maatschappij BV (NSM), was established on the same site. However, this too failed to turn a profit, and in 1984, the second NSM and ADM were declared bankrupt.

A group of former employees continued to maintain the facilities on the site, hoping to revive the shipyard. The local government and a potential new investor, Scheepswerf Vervako, were also involved in efforts to restart operations. However, a severe storm in 1990 damaged the portaalkraan, forcing the plan to be abandoned.

A museum dedicated to NDSM's history is a dream of Van der Sluis, who envisions it located under one of the existing hellingen.

The NDSM-hellingen 2, 3, and 4 have been declared Rijksmonument and are currently being renovated. This is a significant step towards preserving the area's heritage.

Van der Sluis is proud of the progress made by the Stichting NDSM-Herleeft so far, and a Romneyloods on the werfterrein has been made available by the gemeente as a temporary information and documentation center.

The NDSM-terrein has been transformed into a vibrant and creative hub, thanks to the efforts of the Stichting Kinetisch Noord. This organization, established in 2001, has been working to develop the area's potential, providing affordable living and working spaces for artists, craftspeople, and small businesses.

The Stichting Kinetisch Noord has made significant progress, with the large shipbuilding halls, outdoor areas, and dry docks being transferred to their care in 2006. This has enabled them to create a thriving community of creatives.

The Maritiem Kwartier Amsterdam-Noord is another important part of the NDSM-terrein, focusing on the preservation and exhibition of historic ships. The area also hosts the Over het IJ Festival, a large theater festival that takes place every year.

You can even find old trams on the site, repurposed as art installations by local artists. The trams, including the GVB-drieassers 896 and 965, and the RET-gelede wagen 319, have been given new life as part of the area's unique charm.

A jachthaven was added to the site in 2012, complete with a 600-meter-long golfbreker in the IJ. This has allowed for the hosting of events like the HISWA, which took place for the first time in September 2012.

Van der Sluis' dream is a real NDSM museum, and he thinks it should be located in the spaces under one of the remaining hellingen, which are currently being renovated.

The NDSM-hellingen 2, 3, and 4 have been declared a Rijksmonument, and the community is working on restoring them.

Van der Sluis is proud of the progress made by the Stichting NDSM-Herleeft so far, and one of their achievements is securing a Romneyloods on the werfterrein, which will serve as a temporary information and documentation center.

This center will give the community a chance to share their stories and memories of the NDSM area, and Van der Sluis encourages people to contribute their own materials, such as old strike-related posters.

The company's humble beginnings started as a general partnership named Nederlandsche Dok en Scheepsbouw Maatschappij (NDSM), founded by two Amsterdam-based companies, Nederlandsche Scheepsbouw Maatschappij (NSM) and Nederlandsche Dok Maatschappij (NDM).

This partnership was confirmed by the shareholders of both companies on 27 February 1946.

Fusie was een noodzakelijke stap voor NDSM in 1968. De scheepsbouw in Amsterdam kon niet concurreren met de grotere schepen die elders werden gebouwd.

De fusie tussen NDSM en Verolme Verenigde Scheepswerven NV (VVSW) in Rotterdam was een gevolg van de toenemende vraag naar grotere schepen en de dalende lonen in Oost-Europa. Dit maakte het voor NDSM moeilijk om nog te concurreren.

In 1968 werd NDSM gedwongen te fuseren met VVSW, waarna het bedrijf in Amsterdam werd voortaan bestuurd vanuit Rotterdam. De fusie leidde tot de oprichting van Rijn-Schelde-Verolme Machinefabrieken en Scheepswerven NV (RSV) in 1971.

Het was een tijd van grote veranderingen voor de scheepsbouw in Amsterdam. De fusie had gevolgen voor de werf en de werknemers.

In 1979, the last mammoottanker and two containerschepen were built, marking the end of the NDSM's large-scale shipbuilding operations.

The shipbuilding division of NDSM ceased operations in 1979, while the ship repair division was taken over by the ADM. This marked the end of the NDSM's existence as the largest shipyard in the Netherlands.

The ADM, which had taken over the ship repair division, was later acquired by Shipdock, which eventually became Damen Shiprepair Amsterdam. Today, Damen continues to provide maintenance and repair services.

The NDSM's shipbuilding operations were revived in 1979 under the name NSM, employing 400 workers. However, this venture ultimately failed in 1984.

The partnership Nederlandsche Dok en Scheepsbouw Maatschappij (NDSM) was confirmed by the shareholders of both Nederlandsche Scheepsbouw Maatschappij (NSM) and Nederlandsche Dok Maatschappij (NDM) on 27 February 1946.

The partnership was soon turned into the public company NDSM NV, with all assets handed over to NDSM.

Staff received contracts with NDSM, and the board was formed by members of the boards of the old public companies.

NDSM's customer base was quite diverse, including Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij (KPM), which was a major shipping company at the time.

Koninklijke Nederlandsche Stoomboot Maatschappij (KNSM) was another notable customer of NDSM, a company that played a significant role in the Netherlands' maritime industry.

Royal Dutch Shell was also a customer of NDSM, a multinational oil and gas company that's still a household name today.

The Royal Netherlands Navy was another key customer of NDSM, highlighting the company's importance in the country's defense and naval sectors.

Nederlandsche Dok en Scheepsbouw Maatschappij was a shipbuilding company that played a significant role in the Netherlands' naval history.

The company built several warships, including the Friesland-class destroyers and the Van Speijk-class frigates.

The Friesland-class destroyers were launched between 1953 and 1956, with each ship taking a year to complete construction.

Here's a breakdown of the Friesland-class destroyers:

The Van Speijk-class frigates were launched in 1965 and 1967, with two ships being built in the same year.

The Van Speijk-class frigates included the Van Speijk, Tjerk Hiddes, and Isaac Sweers.