Debmarine celebrates mining discovery Gem
WALVIS BAY - The acquisition of the largest diamond recovery vessel Benguela Gem by Debmarine Namibia is a perfect example of the smart partnership between government and the private sector, but also showcases the perseverance and hard work of the mining sector.
This was the view of President Hage Geingob, who inaugurated the N$7 billion diamond recovery vessel at Walvis Bay on Friday.
The Benguela Gem is the world’s most technically advanced diamond recovery vessel – achieving unrivalled efficiency, reliability and accuracy.
It was built within two years. It is also the most environmentally-friendly vessel of its kind, and is on track to create 160 high-skilled jobs for Namibians.
According to experts, the vessel will add an additional 500 000 carats of high-value diamonds to Debmarine’s annual production.
A jovial Geingob said the new acquisition from Debmarine is not only a story of success, but signals peace, unity and development.
“It is a story of perseverance and hard work. It is a story in which the mining sector has played an instrumental role. What you have invested in here is unbelievable. It is a perfect example of globalisation”, Geingob said during the glamorous event that was attended by various stakeholders.
He added that Namibia as a country aims to maintain her competitive edge as an investment location for mining-related activities, and leverage this position
and expertise through attractive investment policy frameworks to accelerate investments in nontraditional economic sectors.
“Let us, therefore, hold hands as citizens, as government and as the business community. Together, we can reignite our economy, together we can break the shackles of poverty, and together we can build a better country and deliver the promise of prosperity to the Namibian house,” the President observed.
Debmarine chief executive officer (CEO) Otto Shikongo said the acquisition of the new vessel heralds the beginning of record diamond production for the diamond mining giant
“The AMV3 [Additional Mining Vessel] started with an idea back in 2007, or even earlier… It was to deliver greater value sustainability for their shareholder Debmarine Namibia and the people of Namibia.
On 28 April 2015, we made a submission, and the board approved the investment of N$2.3 billion to build the SSN [SS Nujoma] that was inaugurated in 2017,” he explained.
According to him, the vessel was built in the Damen shipyard in Romania, and built from parts sourced from 27 different countries, while some of the steelwork was fabricated in Walvis Bay.
Six years of planning, three years of execution and a budget of N$7 billion later, it was delivered three months ahead of schedule and 17% under budget.
The chief financial officer of Debmarine, Willy Mertens, added that the company has been
at the forefront of technological developments in the diamond recovery subsector.
“As one of Africa’s industry leaders, we have over the years developed and deployed state-ofthe-art technology in our business. Hence, the Benguela Gem is the realisation of a vision. It is testament to the forward thinking approach taken by Debmarine Namibia. The harvesting of dreams sown by capable, determined Namibian women and men coming to fruition and laying a foundation for the next generations,” he beamed.
De Beers Group CEO Bruce Cleaver also indicated that the Benguela Gem is the first of its kind and represents an outstanding feat of engineering design, technology, innovation and sustainability.
“Despite significant challenges presented by Covid-19, the project was delivered ahead of time and budget – a testament to the worldleading skills and expertise of all involved. The investment in this vessel will support a long-term, sustainable future for Namibia’s diamond sector, which is home to some to the most sought-after diamonds in the world”, Cleaver stated.
Debmarine Namibia is a subsidiary of Namdeb Holdings, a 50/50 joint venture between the De Beers Group and the Government of the Republic of Namibia.
In 2021, Debmarine Namibia recovered around 1.1 million carats of rough diamonds of the total Namdeb Holdings production of around 1.5 million carats.
Namibian diamonds achieve some of the world’s highest average prices per carat.