AD Ports enters drydocking market with Premier Marine partnership
UAE’s AD Ports and its shipbuilding compatriot Premier Marine have formed a new drydocking and repairs joint venture called Safeen Drydocks.
AD Ports said that the joint venture was 51% owned by AD Ports while the remaining 49% by Premier Marine.
According to the company’s statement, the new enterprise will offer a broad range of vital services including drydocking, afloat repairs, shipbuilding and refurbishment.
The hub of Safeen Drydocks’ operations will be located at the Khalifa Port and encompass a 45,000-square meter shipyard and repair facility, a 350-meter quay wall for vessel afloat repair, and a floating dry dock for vessel maintenance and refurbishment.
The floating dry dock is expected to begin operations in July of 2023, while the shipyard has already begun work with the construction of two barges for a UAE-based client.
Once fully up and running, the hub will be operated by Safeen Drydocks and be fully equipped to accommodate a range of vessel types including tankers, bulk vessels, container ships, offshore vessels, and jack-ups.
“The establishment of Safeen Drydocks is a milestone development for Safeen Group as it significantly broadens our scope of services and ability to serve the regional maritime industry,” Ammar Mubarak Al Shaiba, acting CEO of Maritime Cluster and Safeen Group, said.
“This joint venture marks a new beginning for us, and through our partnership, our teams of highly skilled experts, coupled with the formidable expertise provided by the Group, we aim to achieve great success within the shipbuilding industry,” Hemant Tandon, managing director of Premier Marine, added.
AD Ports has been very active in the past two weeks. Last week, it signed a 30-year concession agreement with the Government of the Republic of the Congo for managing and operating the multipurpose New East Mole Terminal in Pointe-Noire as well as a 50-year concession agreement to manage, operate, and develop a terminal at Karachi Port’s East Wharf.
