THE Oman Drydock Company (ODC) says it intends to become one of the leading shipyards in the world for newbuildings, conversion and repair after completing its first major conversion contract and 300th drydocking.
The US$1.5 billion shipyard, which is one of the biggest and best equipped in the world launched in 2011 in the city of Duqm, 450 kilometres (280 miles) south of the Omani capital of Muscat.
The company also announced it had completed the conversion of Greek-owned tanker, the 320,000-dwt Olympic Luck. "The vessel is close to 314 metres in length. More than 1,000 men worked on the job which involved 3,000 tonnes of steel and was completed in 80 days."
ODC chairman Abdulmalik Bin Abdullah Al Hinai said the shipyard has developed a reputation for ship repair and conversions and is now entering the shipbuilding market.
"We are extremely proud to announce the completion of this project which saw the Olympic Luck converted from a bulk ore carrier to a very large crude carrier," said Dr Al Hinai.
"This was the first major conversion job we have undertaken and is a terrific showcase for the world class infrastructure, facilities and workforce we have," he said.
ODC chief executive Yong Duk Park said the conversion was helped enormously by the highly sophisticated expertise of Korean shipbuilding giant DSME which is ODC's partner. Mr Park said few other shipyards in the Gulf can match the level of conversion and ship building skills at ODC's disposal because of its partnership with DSME.
"We removed bulk head covers and installed new swash bulk heads, making the vessel multi-functional for more efficient loading," he said. "We used DSME's broad knowledge of precision engineering and design innovation to inform our construction methods. For the Olympic Luck we fabricated close to 40 blocks between 50 and 80 tonnes. This enabled us to build in larger portions, reducing on time and cost."
Owner Springfield Shipping Company general manager Dimitris Patrikios said ODC's ability to deliver the highly complex conversion project will lead to future work with the yard.
"This was a unique project which helped to show the professional expertise of ODC," he said. "It was the first time ODC has taken on a project of this scale. Our decision to award the contract was based on ODC's promise to complete the project with high quality," said Mr Patrikios.
"We trusted ODC and we have been rewarded by its willingness to find efficient solutions. Trust requires hard work, the right attitude and a focus on the long term. We would like to thank ODC and all shipyard supervisors and workers for completing this work to ensure the Olympic Luck can transport oil safely around the globe," he said.
SHIPBUILDING
26 January 2015 - 20:28
Partnering with DSME, Oman Drydock enters newbuilding world
THE Oman Drydock Company (ODC) says it intends to become one of the leading shipyards in the world for newbuildings, conversion and repair after completing its first major conversion contract and 300th drydocking.
SHIPBUILDING
26 January 2015 - 20:28
Partnering with DSME, Oman Drydock enters newbuilding world
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