Bahrain: Shipping's difficulties are having an impact on repair bookings at the Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard Co (ASRY) but ambitious expansion plans are proceeding on schedule.
This was exactly the right time to be undertaking expansion at the Bahrain yard, ASRY Chairman H.E. Shaikh Daij Bin Salman Bin Daij Al-Khalifa told journalists in London yesterday. The $188m investment now would pay dividends later when the market recovers, he said. Acknowledging that the second half of 2009 is proving to be particularly difficult so far as repair contracts and work scopes are concerned, he pointed out that container lines which, together with ro/ro clients comprise the yard's second largest client group after tanker companies, are "haemorrhaging". Chief executive Chris Potter said owners were undertaking essential repairs only in an effort to save money.
However, ASRY is beefing up its offshore capabilities, with a substantial new subsea fabrication area with load-out quay. It intends to focus more resources on rig repairs and upgrades and is offering mobile offshore labour units for on-site maintenance work. Other expansion work includes the addition of a total of 1,380 metres of repair quay wall, with water depth alongside of 12 metres, designed by Royal Haskoning, with construction due to start any day now.
The yard is also replacing elderly harbour tugs with four new vessels which it will build itself. They are to be built to a design developed by Singapore's Sea Tech Solutions and will be built on land adjacent to two new slipways from where they will be launched. Keel-laying is scheduled for early 2010 and the vessels will be completed by the end of 2011. They will be of azimuth stern drive design, with a bollard pull of 40 tonnes, capable of undertaking fire-fighting and pollution control, as well as push-pull harbour tug operations. [27/11/09]
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