Damen Yachting to Open Vlissingen Superyacht Yard to Public

Damen Yachting will open its Vlissingen yard to the public on Saturday 10 October 2026, giving families, local residents, students and prospective maritime workers access to the superyacht-building facility on Koningsweg. The yard will be open from 10:00 to 16:00, with last admission at 15:00.

The event is more than a community open day because visitors will follow a route through an active yacht-building environment and see the specialist disciplines involved in constructing large custom and semi-custom yachts. Damen says the aim is to show how craftsmanship, technology, collaboration and sustainability come together behind the finished vessels.

Visitors will see the disciplines behind a superyacht build

The route is designed to expose visitors to multiple stages and skills involved in yacht construction rather than only displaying completed yachts. Damen Yachting says specialist co-makers that work alongside the yard will also be represented, showing the wider supply chain needed to deliver a modern superyacht.

That matters for an industry facing continuing demand for skilled technical labour. Large yacht building depends on welders, electricians, engineers, interior specialists, painters, project managers, naval architects and numerous subcontractors, many of whom are rarely visible to the public once a yacht is completed.

Open day has a recruitment and education angle

Damen Yachting says one of the goals is to inspire future generations and give schoolchildren and other visitors a clearer picture of the work carried out inside the Vlissingen yard. For young people considering maritime careers, direct exposure to an operating shipyard can make the range of technical and professional roles easier to understand.

The company is also using the day to strengthen ties with the local community. Vlissingen has a long shipbuilding history, and the yard remains a major industrial presence in the city even though much of the work normally takes place behind closed gates.

Vlissingen remains central to Damen's yacht operations

The Netherlands facility supports Damen Yachting's Amels superyachts, Xplorer expedition yachts, Yacht Support vessels and large-yacht refit work. The site is part of the company's broader Dutch yacht-building network and benefits from direct access to open water.

Opening the facility therefore gives visitors a view into a yard that handles both new-build and lifecycle work on large yachts rather than a showroom or sales office. The company says the event will demonstrate the knowledge and collaboration required across the full build process.

Practical details for 10 October

The open day will take place at Damen Yachting, Koningsweg 2, Vlissingen, from 10:00 until 16:00 on Saturday 10 October. Last admission is scheduled for 15:00.

For Superyacht Guide, the event is also a useful reminder that workforce development is becoming as important as physical yard capacity. Shipyards can expand sheds, docks and production halls, but future order books still depend on having enough skilled people to design, build, commission and maintain increasingly complex yachts.