Posted on January 12, 2026
In early January 2026, the District Court in Zwolle issued a key procedural ruling in the criminal case against Damen Shipyards, significantly narrowing the scope of witness testimony that will be heard as the trial moves forward. The court ruled that 26 witnesses will be questioned in connection with the case, rejecting a much broader request by the defense to summon more than 100 individuals from around the world.
Damen Shipyards, the Netherlands’ largest shipbuilder, is facing criminal charges relating to alleged bribery, falsification of documents, and possible money-laundering connected to international ship sales. Several current and former senior executives are named in the case, including CEO Arnout Damen, former CEO René Berkvens, and former longtime leader Kommer Damen.
During earlier procedural hearings, Damen’s lawyers asked the court to hear testimony from 101 witnesses, arguing that a wide range of international intermediaries, customers, and officials were necessary to establish the company’s defense. The Public Prosecution Service objected to most of these requests, stating that the majority of the proposed witnesses were not sufficiently relevant to the core allegations. Prosecutors indicated they would agree to a much smaller number of interviews.
The court ultimately struck a compromise. In its January 9 ruling, it rejected 75 of the requested witnesses and approved 26, concluding that this smaller group was sufficient for the defense to properly present its case. The court noted that many of these witnesses are located abroad and will likely be questioned internationally by a judicial commissioner before the substantive phase of the trial resumes.
Neither the defendants nor their legal representatives were present in court when the ruling on witnesses was issued. No new dates have yet been announced for when the full evidentiary hearings will resume once the witness examinations are complete.
Damen has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has stated that it intends to defend itself fully in court. The company has emphasized that it believes the allegations are unfounded and that the judicial process will allow it to clarify the facts.
While the case itself dates back several years, the January 2026 decision marks the first major procedural development of the year and sets the framework for how the trial will proceed. With the witness list now finalized, the case enters a more focused phase, although it remains unclear how long the international questioning process will take or when the court will move on to substantive hearings on the merits of the charges.
Sources
This article has been compiled from reporting and court coverage by:
- Algemeen Dagblad (AD)
- Financieele Dagblad (FD)
- Transport-Online (ANP wire)
- Headliner.nl (aggregation of Dutch press reports)
