DESMI and naval needs – a perfect partnership

Commercial benefits – transformed
Most navies know DESMI as an established maritime brand, serving the commercial shipping industry for many years. Commercial shipping is a tough, demanding environment with little room for poor quality or design errors. Large container ships, for example, go on voyages lasting up to five years, making sturdy and reliable pump solutions absolutely critical.
 
It’s this depth of experience that enables the Danish-based company to adapt its well-proven products and technologies to meet the even tougher demands of naval operations. Naval customers benefit directly, too, from DESMI’s commercial activities, leveraging an established supply chain and high availability of spare parts.

Trusting partnership
Christian Wollerup, DESMI’s Defence and Fuel segment director, knows just how important it is to do things right. “DESMI and its navy customers share a common goal: that of bringing sailors back to shore safely and helping to make working on board as smooth and efficient as possible. Key to this is the ability to analyse specifications throughout the entire process, delivering the best possible system and aiming for high operational uptime and reliability.”

Much of DESMI’s success results from the collaborative relationships it typically establishes with customers. This partnership approach creates the trust necessary to probe into the needs of the fleet and constructively challenge product or configuration choices – often discovering innovative alternatives that may not have been previously considered.

Training for success
It can be a struggle for navies to provide their personnel with expertise that extends beyond the instruction manuals of onboard equipment. Helicopter refueling, for example, is certainly more involved than simply pushing a green button!

To meet this need, DESMI solutions often include crew training, giving naval personnel the technical know-how and confidence to operate the equipment effectively. Depending on the solution, training can span two to four days and focus on relevant health and safety aspects, too. At the end of the training, operating skills are carefully tested – leaving no doubt that the necessary competencies are in place.

Tailored to navy specs
Navies operate in extreme conditions – a typical day could mean freezing rain, rapid accelerations, huge temperature swings, intense salt fog, or even gunfire vibration. And navy ships need pumping systems that are up to the task. DESMI’s shock-rated pumps, for example, have the durability to weather the most challenging environments – and DESMI’s people have the know-how to recommend the best solutions.

A dedicated team works closely with navy customers to customise off-the-shelf commercial products, transforming them with specialised materials and features to deliver the ideal fit. By adapting their standard range to Military Off The Shelf (MOTS) equipment, DESMI provides navy customers with cost-effective, reliable pumping solutions – all while addressing their exceptional shock requirements.

DESMI knows that naval applications come with stringent documentation requirements – and ensures that all products live up to these. Beyond supplying standard manuals for DESMI products, the company can provide integrated logistics support and technical drawings, adjusting these as necessary throughout the process and working with shipyards to ensure everything meets the specifications.

Package deal
Today, DESMI supplies not just stand-alone pumps, but fully equipped and optimised systems. For helicopter refueling, for example, the pump is just the beginning of a solution that expands to incorporate pipes, meters, valves and hoses until it becomes a fully configured, purpose-built skid.

In fact, DESMI can go much further than this. Take DESMI OptiSave™, for example, an automated sub-system that optimises pump and fan speeds to meet current requirements – with significant fuel savings as a result.

As Christian Wollerup explains: “Today, our navy customers are buying fully tested and approved, plug-and-play solutions from a single supplier. And they can choose a comprehensive service plan from us, too.”

Support through service
While many navies take care of their own equipment, DESMI stands ready with a range of service agreements. The company’s service technicians have the necessary security clearances and skills to work aboard naval vessels, and DESMI labs are equipped for additional testing, such as measuring noise vibration, where required.

Proving that innovation extends beyond the pump systems themselves, DESMI technicians sent to service naval vessels typically arrive equipped with specially designed spare parts kits. Each kit has a clearly visible, unique NATO order number, showing precisely which pump type it fits.
And every kit contains all the parts necessary for the pump, from O-rings to bearings, shaft seal and more. As a result, repairs can be made more quickly – and ships are less likely to be delayed.

Ready for the next challenge
From shock-rated pumps to helicopter refueling systems and everything in between, DESMI has the confidence to back its products through robust warranties that can be adapted to fit navy requirements. And with a willingness to deliver products that meet exacting requirements and a commitment to building trusting relationships, DESMI will continue to expand its list of naval customers well into the future.