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Abu Dhabi Ports’ OFCO buys seven support vessels

OFCO BirdsEyeView.jpg
An aerial view of one of the new vessels acquired by OFCO.
OFCO has purchased four Anchor Handling Tugs, a 65-metre landing craft, a supply ship and multipurpose safety standby vessel.

The fleet expansion comes as Abu Dhabi Ports ventures further into the integrated logistics and subsea services areas. OFCO chairman Captain Maktoum Al Houqani said the company was on the look out for growth opportunities.

“We will continue to explore other potential vessel acquisitions and other related expansion opportunities in an effort to broaden our overall service capabilities, and to ensure we are well-positioned to satisfy the increasingly complex needs of the offshore market for years to come,” said Al Houqani.

Launched in January 2021, Offshore Support and Logistics Services Company (OFCO – Offshore International) is jointly owned by Allianz Marine and Adu Dhabi Ports’ marine services arm SAFEEN.

“With the acquisition of diversified and ultra-modern support vessels as part of our ever-expanding offshore marine services fleet, Abu Dhabi Ports is rapidly taking its strategic move into offshore logistics to new heights, while simultaneously cementing its role as the preferred maritime services provider in the Middle East and beyond,” Al Houqani said.

Ahmed Khalil, General Manager, Allianz Middle East Ship Management, said: “The expansion of OFCO’s offshore marine service fleet has greatly enhanced the organisation’s capabilities in meeting the ever-evolving demands of the region’s offshore energy market.

“We aim to continue developing our unique offering incorporating not only the latest in support vessel design, the highest industry best practices and innovations, but we also strive to embrace new capabilities that will enable us to serve the end-to-end logistical needs of customers in other expanding industries.”

Friedrich Portner, General Manager, OFCO said: “We are pleased to announce the acquisition of seven ultra-modern support vessels, which will be integrated into OFCO’s offshore marine services fleet. In a short time since the inception of the organisation, we have been able to swiftly expand the size of our standing fleet and placed ourselves in a position where we can serve large-scale and complex offshore operations.