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NL 
A proud first in fishing vessel design and construction
STAVOREN – A very special moment, not only for Boerdijk Company from Den Oever and Heijsman Shipbuilding & Repair in Stavoren, but also for Dutch fisheries and for Naval Consultant Herman Jansen, who were responsible for the vessel’s design.
Last Tuesday, the hull of the new WR 40 was successfully launched and christened in Stavoren. It is currently the only fishing vessel under construction in the Netherlands and marks both a shipbuilding first for Heijsman and a proud new project for the design bureau led by Hernand Jansen.
The 23-meter-long hull, carefully transported out of the shed by Combex Transport towards the Wagenborg crane, reflects a design philosophy aimed at operational efficiency, robustness, and ease of maintenance. "We chose top quality," said Gerard Boerdijk proudly. "And Heijsman delivered excellent craftsmanship, based on a solid and practical design." Designer Hernand Jansen, present with his entire team, added: "It looks really sharp — exactly how we envisioned it."
With the 85-ton hull still suspended above the water, Siep Heijsman produced a bottle of champagne. Gerard’s daughter Anna and Peter’s daughter Carola had the honor of christening the vessel "Anna Carola" with a well-aimed swing that shattered the bottle. Afterward, the hull was launched and carefully rotated to allow easy installation of the wheelhouse the following day. Thanks to the well-thought-out design, both hull and superstructure were already largely outfitted, enabling rapid final assembly and commissioning.
The launch was celebrated in Heijsman’s cozy canteen with coffee, pastries, sandwiches, and soup — a fitting conclusion to a memorable day. Hernand Jansen summarized it well: "This project sets the tone — and there are already more exciting vessels in the pipeline."