Feature 2 | MIDDLE EAST Oman yard gears up for 2011 start
Te planned opening of the Oman Drydock Company’s new yard will be a major milestone for the shiprepair sector in the Middle East.
Duqm has gathered momentum, with over 90% of infrastructure reportedly complete at the beginning of September. The physical construction works are expected to be finished by the end of the year, while superstructure installation and manpower recruitment is also now well underway. As a result of this progress, ODC has
O
confirmed that it is planning to start commercial shiprepair operations at the new yard, which will be the second largest in the Middle East in terms of capacity, in April 2011. Trial dockings could start as early as this December, followed by a ‘soſt’ transitional operational period in the first quarter of 2011. Facilities at this stage will include two
huge drydocks - one 410m x 95m and another measuring 410m x 80m - which will be capable of handling vessels up to 600,000dwt Ultra Large Crude Carrier (ULCC) size. In addition ODC will have a panamax, 80,000dwt floating dock, 2800m of alongside repair berths and 14 jib cranes, with a 74m outreach. Tese cranes range in capacity from 40tonnes to 100tonnes. ODC will be operated and managed
by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) which has signed an initial 10 year agreement with the Omani government, which could be extended by a further similar period. MJ Park, chief executive officer at ODC, believes the new yard will have some important advantages over established regional yards, such as ASRY and Drydocks World Dubai. In particular ODC benefits from having a good location close to major shipping lanes, thereby avoiding the need for deviation into the Gulf, modern repair facilities and an 18m draſt, which will facilitate access for all vessel types. Mr Park further points out: “Many vessels
going to Dubai and Bahrain have to go first to Fujairah to remove residual cargo before repair, which is a time consuming process. To avoid the need for this diversion, we
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ver the past few months work on the Oman Drydock Company (ODC)’s shiprepair complex in
Infrastructure work at Oman Drydock is nearing completion.
have invested in a slop reception and sludge treatment plant so we can be a ‘one stop shop’ for tanker operators. Tey will be able to find everything they need in one location.” One of the priorities for the ODC
management team at the moment is recruiting labour for the yard. As Mr Park explains, “Oman has a relatively small population, so manpower has to be sourced largely from outside the country. We expect to get most of our labour from India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Vietnam, where we can find well-qualified staff with suitable experience.” In addition, however, ODC will recruit a significant number of Omanis, proving employment opportunities for the local population. By the end of December there will be
around 600 persons working at the yard, a figure that will rise to around 1200 by December 2011. DSME will be able to take advantage of its global network to provide appropriate training, with recruits being sent either to Korea or Daewoo Mangalia, Romania, to develop the necessary skills. In terms of vessel types, ODC plans to
focus initially on oil tankers, LNG carriers and containerships. Te first confirmed core customer for ODC is the state-owned Oman Shipping Company, which has a rapidly growing fleet of tankers, LNG carriers and bulkers.
As well as ship repair, the yard will also be
equipped for conversion work and for the fabrication of heavy steel structures. Landside support facilities include steel fabrication, machinery and outfitting workshops as well as heavy lift equipment. Advanced equipment, including CNC and plasma cutting machines, has been installed as well as two bending machines with capacities of 700 and 1000tonnes respectively. In addition, the yard has an extensive pipe fabrication shop and a cryogenic workshop to meet the requirements of LNG operators. The company points out the yard occupies a large area - 1.2million m2
- which could be
increased further in future. Te space at its disposal is claimed to make it particularly well suited for ship conversion and industrial and offshore related engineering works. ODC plans to build up business steadily,
and the number of vessels docked will be limited to begin with. However the company states that the yard will be capable of handling around 100 vessels a year in the short term, rising to around 250 a year within the next three years. The Omani government is financing
the project, which forms a key part of its master plan for the development of the Duqm area. Tis planned investment also includes the building of a new commercial port, airport, oil refinery and petrochemical plant. SCRT
Shiprepair and Conversion Technology 4th Quarter 2010
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