Qatar’s premier marine company Nakilat has secured vessel building and operations contracts for the Port of Ras Laffan via its joint ventures, shipbuilder Nakilat Damen Shipyards Qatar (NDSQ) and towage operator Nakilat SvitzerWijsmuller (NSW). NDSQ has signed to build seven vessels — two 60-ton bollard pull (BP) azimuth stern drive (ASD) tugs, two 45-ton BP ASD tugs, two 15-ton BP twin-screw mooring boats and one pilot boat — which will be ready for service by autumn 2014 / spring 2015, the company said in its press release.
NSW will then operate the seven vessels at the Port of Ras Laffan on a 14-year contract with Qatar Petroleum. NSW already operates a fleet of 25 vessels at Ras Laffan and a further five vessels at Halul Island, performing about 12,500 tug jobs per year in the Port of Ras Laffan.
In addition to the new order for the Port of Ras Laffan, NDSQ is constructing 19 workboats for use at the Port of Mesaieed. Commenting on the signing of the vessel construction and operation contracts, Managing Director of Nakilat and Chairman of NDSQ and NSW, Muhammad Ghannam said: “We are delighted with the continued confidence in the services that our joint ventures are providing in Qatar. NSW will ensure that the Port of Ras Laffan will continue to receive first class harbor services at increased capacity using vessels built in Qatar by NDSQ. We’re thankful to HE Dr. Mohammed Bin Saleh Al Sada for His Excellency’s continued support of the operations of Nakilat and its joint ventures at the Port of Ras Laffan and at Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard.”
Director of Industrial Cities, Abdulaziz Jassim Al-Muftah added: “The growth of NSW’s services in the Port of Ras Laffan and of NDSQ’s activities at Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard confirm Ras Laffan Industrial City’s position as a leading LNG terminal and marine hub. QP is committed to the development of Qatar’s energy infrastructure and marine capabilities, and to a bright future for our country’s economy and industrial sectors.”
NDSQ is a joint venture between Nakilat and Dutch shipbuilder Damen and is based at Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard in Ras Laffan, Qatar. NDSQ began operations in 2010 and builds ships in steel, aluminum and fiber reinforced plastic (FRP), up to 170m in length.
NSW is owned 70 per cent by Nakilat and 30 per cent by Svitzer Middle East Ltd. The vessels operated by NSW include tug boats, pilot boats, line boats and crew boats. NSW offers a range of services including towing, escorting, berthing, pilot support, line handling services afloat and ashore, emergency response, and marine maintenance support.
Nakilat is a Qatari marine company providing the critical transportation link in Qatar’s LNG supply chain. Its LNG shipping fleet is the largest in the world, comprising 56 LNG vessels. Nakilat also manages and operates four LPG carriers. Via two strategic joint ventures, N-KOM and NDSQ, Nakilat operates the ship repair and construction facilities at Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard.