Debmarine is replacing two retired mining vessels, the Grand Banks and Coral Sea, with a N$1.1 billion next-generation crawler designed to restore part of the production capacity lost through their early withdrawal.
CEO Willy Mertens told delegates at the recently concluded Mining Expo in Windhoek that the 370-tonne machine, purpose-built for the Benguela Gem, will operate 20% faster than existing models and is expected to recover around 80 000 high-value carats annually. While this falls short of the 200 000 carats previously produced by the retired vessels, Mertens said the crawler’s speed and the higher quality of the recovered diamonds would help close the gap.
“It will not replace all of the lost carats, but the higher value of the diamonds recovered and the speed at which the crawler operates will make a significant difference,” he said.
Powered by 3.4 megawatts of electricity — enough to supply about 230 homes — the crawler will be joystick-controlled from the vessel’s bridge. Deployment is scheduled for later this year when the Benguela Gem returns from maintenance in Cape Town.
The decision to retire the Grand Banks and Coral Sea ahead of schedule was based on cost considerations. Both vessels were due for major three-year maintenance in 2025 at about N$500 million each, but with only three years of operational life left before scrapping in 2028 or 2029, the expense was deemed unrecoverable.
The move forms part of Debmarine’s cost optimisation strategy aimed at maintaining production at around 1.5 million carats in 2025, down from the 1.8 million carats achieved in 2023. The scaling back follows a downturn in global diamond demand and declining prices, with the 2025 target still representing roughly 75% of Namibia’s total diamond output.
Mertens said rough diamond prices are currently about 45% lower than in 2015, with EBITDA having dropped from nearly N$7 billion in 2022 to under N$1 billion in 2024. The company projects a recovery to N$1.5 billion in 2025, driven largely by cost savings rather than increased sales volumes.
Debmarine mines off Namibia’s southern coast at depths of 90 to 140 metres, focusing on the top metre of seabed sediment. Its fleet includes five drill vessels and two crawler vessels, supported by helicopters, launch boats, and onboard desalination plants.
The company emphasises environmental stewardship, returning sediment to the ocean floor within minutes and conducting annual 20-day shutdowns for benthic sampling. Independent studies show mined areas generally recover within three to ten years.
Debmarine invests about N$130 million annually in training and development, with 92% of its workforce being Namibian. It also funds social initiatives in health, sport, and food security, including agricultural projects with the University of Namibia.
Mertens said the crawler investment, together with technological innovation and disciplined cost management, will strengthen Debmarine’s position to withstand current market pressures and prepare for a rebound in demand.
