Qatari shipbuilder Nakilat Damen Shipyards Qatar (NDSQ) has signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) worth QAR 3.1 billion to build seven vessels for Qatar Armed Forces.
The MoUs were signed on Thursday 27th March during the DIMDEX event at Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC).
Once all the necessary agreements are finalized, the vessels mentioned in the MoUs will be constructed in the State of Qatar by NDSQ at its shipbuilding facility at Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard in Ras Laffan.
The MoUs signed by NDSQ and Qatar Armed Forces concern six 50m-long axe-bow high-speed patrol vessels and one 52m-long diving support vessel for the Qatar Armed Forces. All vessels are highly sophisticated state-of-the-art naval ships built based on proven designs providing unparalleled seaworthiness. The diving support vessel includes decompression capabilities. A large Integrated Logistic Support package is also mentioned in the MoUs.
Eng. Abdullah Fadhalah Al Sulaiti, Managing Director of Nakilat and Chairman of NDSQ, said: “We are delighted with these MoUs, both for our company and for our country. To be given the opportunity to build these vessels in Qatar for Qatar will be an incredible achievement and a strong contribution to the continued growth of our nation’s marine industry. These MoUs are confirmation of the State of Qatar’s world-class shipyard capabilities”.
“We are thankful to HE Major General Hamad bin Ali al-Attiyah, Minister of State for Defence and we also thank Qatar Armed Forces for placing their trust in our company and in Qatar’s marine industry. We look forward to working closely with Qatar Armed Forces and to finalizing the details of this agreement,” he added.
Nakilat is a Qatari-owned marine company which provides the critical transportation link in the State of Qatar’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply chain, oversees the activities of the country’s world-class shipyard and provides services to vessels in Qatari waters.
Established in 2004 as a joint stock company - owned 50% by its founding shareholders and 50% by the public - Nakilat has the largest LNG shipping fleet in the world, consisting of 54 LNG vessels along with four Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Very Large Gas Carriers (VLGCs).
Nakilat’s LNG fleet transports gas to global markets from Qatar’s North Field, the world’s largest non-associated gas field with approximately 15 per cent of the world’s proven reserves.
Since its inception, Nakilat has diversified its activities to become a well-rounded marine industry operator. This is evidenced by the development of Qatar’s rapidly expanding marine industrial sector via Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard, a world-class ship repair and shipbuilding facility in the Port of Ras Laffan.
Nakilat established a joint venture (JV) Nakilat-Keppel Offshore & Marine (N-KOM) with Keppel Offshore & Marine to operate the shipyard’s ship repair facility.
To operate the shipyard’s shipbuilding facility, Nakilat entered a JV with Damen Shipyards Group, a world-renowned shipbuilder to establish Nakilat Damen Shipyards Qatar (NDSQ).
Nakilat also continues to develop Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard, overseeing the development and construction of new facilities at the yard.
Completing the spectrum of marine services offered by Nakilat, port agency, warehousing, vessel support services and towage are provided at the Port of Ras Laffan. Our JV Nakilat-SvitzerWijsmuller (NSW) owns and operates a fleet of 26 tug boats, pilot boats and other harbor craft supplying round-the-clock harbor services at the port.
