AHI Opens 30,000 dwt Drydock In UAE

Arab Heavy Industries P.J.S.C (AHI), managed by Keppel Hitachi Zosen, officially opened its 30,000 dwt drydock in Ajman, United Arab Emirates. Said AHI's Chairman, Mr Obaid Ali Al Muhairi, "The opening of the Al Zora Drydock consolidates AHI's position as the premier medium-size shipyard in the Gulf. "With UAE's location at the center of the east-west shipping and trading lanes and the strong economic growth of the region, we expect good demand for our drydocking services." The demand for the drydock has been encouraging since it commenced operations in mid November 2000. To date, it has docked a total of seven vessels, the largest of which is M.V. Arabella, a 26,000 dwt bulk carrier from Seven Seas Maritime Limited, based in the U.K. Built within a year at an investment of DH. $20 million, the dock is equipped with modern facilities for enhanced operations and improved flexibility. Measuring 175 x 32 m, the drydock has an extra wide beam allowing it to accommodate a wider range of tonnage of up to 30,000 dwt. These include the new generation double-hulled tankers, offshore structures, larger offshore supply vessels, anchor handlers, crane barges, container feeders and cargo ships. The graving dock is flanked by two dockside cranes of 40 tons and 16 tons lifting capacity. A new quay measuring 250 m has also been commissioned to improve the flexibility and availability of berth space. This will be further improved by the provision of a load out facility of up to 5,000 tons. The quay, which has a depth of 7 m, will be serviced by a 6.5 ton quay crane. AHI's own technical team carried out all other mechanical and technical works including the construction of the dock gate, overhauling and installation of the cranes, main pumps and piping systems, with Six construct Ltd. handling the civil works. AHI is a public joint stock company jointly owned by the Government of Ajman, the Al Futtaim Group, the Keppel Group and other investors.