During the Seawork Awards Dinner on 22 May, Kommer Damen was awarded with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Arnout Damen, COO of Damen Shipyards Group, accepted the inaugural award on behalf of his father from Caroline Dinenage, MP for Gosport, Stubbington, Lee-on-the-Solent and Hill Head.

After working in the family business, Kommer Damen set up his own enterprise with just six workers and introduced the modular shipbuilding concept for small boats and launches. This standarisation, called the Damen Standard, made it possible to have shorter delivery times, significant cost reduction and proven designs.