A concept image of the NRP Dom João II (A 5209) multi-purpose support ship that Damen Shipyards Group is building for the Portuguese Navy. It is based on Damen's MPV 10720 design. (Damen)
Portuguese state-owned multidomain defence company idD Portugal Defence is working with Dutch shipbuilder Damen Shipyards Group to win foreign contracts for the country's naval industry.
The two companies signed a letter of intent (LoI) on 18 October to boost collaboration in shipbuilding and maritime technologies and further integrate the Portuguese defence technological and industrial base (DTIB) into Damen's supply chain.
This would enable Portuguese firms to enter a supply chain network supporting diverse commercial projects internationally, with the potential to develop long-term export opportunities, according to Damen.
idD, which is jointly subordinated to the Portuguese Ministry of National Defence and Ministry of Finance, is involved activities such as the demilitarisation and deactivation of energy materials, supporting research, development, and innovation projects by local companies, and promoting the Portuguese DTIB.
The company also manages the shares that the Portuguese state holds in Arsenal do Alfeite, EMPORDEF – Tecnologias de Informação (ETI), Navalrocha Shipyard, OGMA (Indústria Aeronáutica de Portugal), Thales Edisoft Portugal, Explosivos da Trafaria (EXTRA), and EID.
In addition, idD has led defence initiatives such as the Defence4Tech Hub, Smart Defence, Cyber Academia and Innovation Hub (CAIH), and Academia do Arsenal, and is responsible for implementing NATO's Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) in Portugal.
Damen is building the NRP Dom João II (A5209) multi-purpose support vessel for the Portuguese Navy under a November 2023 contract. The ship is scheduled to be commissioned in 2026, Chief of Staff of the Navy Admiral Henrique Eduardo Passaláqua de Gouveia e Melo told Janes
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