Drydocks World in Dubai has traditionally been associated with ship repairs. This is still a major activity for the yard and, on an annual basis, repairs amount to about 50 per cent of its workload, while conversions account for 30 per cent and newbuildings for 20 per cent. Repairs are still its core business and no less than half of the world’s VLCC fleet will drydock in Dubai in any given year. Previously known as Dubai Drydocks, the new Drydocks World is currently implementing a globalisation programme involving drydocks in Singapore and Indonesia and has plans to expand into China, the Mediterranean area and India. Drydocks World repairs more than 50 per cent of the annual VLCC dockings.

When driving into Drydocks World, we pass a new semi-submersible rig under construction for Aker Kvaerner, the second in a series of three. The contract for rig number three has just been signed. These rigs are the largest in the world. The Aker Alpha rig was delivered in 2007, and the Aker Beta is currently under construction (with delivery scheduled for March 2008). The rigs are 16,352 metric tonnes and have been designed to work in harsh environments with temperatures of as low as –25°C. Work on this DNV-classed impressive structure goes on more or less around the clock. Upon leaving the yard, the rigs will be connected to their topsides at Aker Stord in Norway.
The yard is bustling with activity and employs close to 10,000 people at this location. We are welcomed by Nawal Saigal, the managing director: “Yes, we will repair anything that floats. To expand on that, we started here in 1983 with three docks and a floating dock classed by DNV was added in 1994. This dock can accommodate vessels up to Panamax size. Our next major expansion was in 2004, when we invested USD 80 million to build ourselves a purpose-built newbuilding facility. The newbuild facility was designed around the capability to build a VLCC hull – more specifically an FPSO hull. We have just started reclaiming land on the waterfront opposite the newbuild workshops to give us more space for block fabrication/ assembly. The yard is planning to build super yacht hulls, including all the outfitting, for its group company Platinum Yachts. The accommodation and soft furnishings will be prepared by Platinum Yachts at its yard in either Jebel Ali or DMC.” The total yard area with the sea basin is 450 hectares, with direct access to the sea through a 350 metre wide entrance channel. The three graving docks (411 x 80, 521 x 100 and 366 x 66 metres respectively) can handle any existing or planned size or type of vessel. These are supplemented by the floating dock (203 x 32 metres), which has a lifting capacity of 15,000 tonnes. There are presently some 2,400 metres of repair berths in the main yard. The oil Tank Cleaning berth has given way to a new FPSO berth which will be 650 m long and 55 m wide, with three dedicated cranes. The width of the berth will provide an option to build and install various structures on board vessels. This pier will be operational in early 2009. The rail cranes serve the berths and docks, with docks one and three each serviced by a 120-tonne crane and dock two covered by two 120-tonne cranes. The yard has its own 2,000-tonne floating sheerleg, which serves conversions and newbuilding projects and is available for charter within the Gulf. The newbuilding facility was completed in 2006 and is equipped with the most modern plant and equipment. It also has a 130 x 60 metre load out/in Hydrolift, available as an additional repair dock between scheduled load out operations.
“Drydocks World is booked until 2010 for newbuildings, some 90 per cent of which are to DNV class,” he says with a smile. “DNV’s quality policy matches our own and our customers like this. The respective roles we play have a main focus – to get the vessels delivered on time with the best quality. Shipping as an industry was the first to understand globalisation. Shipping is truly international and we must all be able to manage the different nationalities. We have to be passionate about what we do – and we are!
“We are labour intensive as we have so many employees and we spend considerable amounts of time and money on training. For instance, repairs of LNG vessels are highly specialised and we are authorised by French manufacturer GTT to repair membrane-type LNG vessels including the Mark III. An authorisation like that does not just land at our feet, we have to educate specialists. We must also have specialists in engine rooms, reliquefaction equipment, control systems and so on. In a yard like this, safety is another key issue. Accidents and incidents can easily happen and a continuous focus on safety is always important. We train our employees, and retrain on safety all the time to ensure that everyone thinks about safety first. Training is viewed as an investment and this has made us one of the most successful yards in the world. We clearly demonstrate to all our employees that we care – this ensures an emotional motivation at all levels of Drydocks World,” says Saigal, adding that it is of course also important to retain employees in a world where skilled and motivated individuals are becoming scarce. We have high safety and quality standards and we all feel secure in working here, paving the way for a rather low turnover of employees,” says Saigal.
We were given a guided tour of the yard by the production control manager, Georgios Moutzourogeorgos, who was an excellent guide. Looking at the impressive area which will become Dubai Maritime City, a reclaimed area about half of which will consist of a shipyard while the other half will be apartments, shops and a marina with room for some 50,000 pleasure craft and a view of the tallest building in the world (Burj Dubai) in the background, we look forward to revisiting the yard a few years into the future.

Date: 2008-03-14