10 July 2011
MUSCAT - A state-of-the-art hazardous waste storage facility, designed to serve the newly launched ship repair yard of Oman Dry-Dock Company, is now operational at Duqm in the Wusta region. The facility, designed to international standards, has been built by Al Ahlia Environmental Services Company, a joint venture of prominent Omani business house Khimji Ramdas LLC and Indian environmental specialists Ramky Enviro Engineers Limited (REEL).
Located just outside the Port of Duqm complex, the facility is designed to hold up to 130,000 cubic meters of hazardous waste which will be generated by the dry dock. The capacity of the facility roughly corresponds to the hazardous waste likely to be produced by the ship repair yard over the next five years of its operations.
The hazardous waste facility at Duqm is the latest in a series of investments by Khimji Ramdas in line with its goal to emerge as a major player in Oman's multibillion dollar solid waste management sector. Al Ahlia has already developed the Sultanate's first hazardous waste facility at Liwa to handle wastes emanating from heavy industries located within the Sohar Industrial Port Area.
"Our next step will be to implement an integrated solid waste recycling treatment and disposal facility. This will be another first in Oman," commented Pankaj Khimji, Director, Khimji Ramdas LLC. According to M C Jose, Chief Executive Officer of Khimji Ramdas Projects & Logistics, the Duqm facility meets the most stringent guidelines for the construction of Class 1 yards for the storage of hazardous wastes.
"The facility has been designed and built to US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) standards. It consists of two protective layers: The first acts as the barrier layer and prevents any contamination from the stored hazardous waste into the ground water. The second layer provides a leak detection system and secondary protection in case the first layer develops some problems. Each layer in itself comprises of HDPE membranes, clay liners, geo-textiles and filter and drainage media. The preventive layers are designed with a minimum life span of 100 years - meaning any waste stored in the yard is perfectly safe for the environment for a minimum of 100 years."
The waste is collected and transported from the dry dock in a fleet of specialised vehicles designed to European Union (EU) specifications for the carriage of hazardous wastes. A sophisticated waste analysis lab has also been built on site, along with a number of leachate evaporation ponds.
With the launch of the hazardous waste facility, the Khimji Ramdas Group's footprint in Duqm - the site of a huge industrial hub anchored by a world-scale port and dry dock complex - is set to expand. The Group's Shipping Division has already launched a number of commercial initiatives that promise to position the company as a premier provider of shipping and maritime services in the Duqm port area.
Khimji Sparkle LLC, the product of a partnership with India-based Ocean Sparkle, has been awarded a long-term contract to provide tugboat services to the state-owned Oman Dry-dock Company (ODC). The JV has already invested in a fleet of three powerful tug boards that will provide berthing and un-berthing services to ships visiting the dry dock for repairs and maintenance. The service will also be extended to other vessels that will come calling when commercial operations commence at Duqm Port.
Yet another JV set up by Khimji Ramdas to serve shipping is Fuji Khimji LLC, which is a partnership Fuji Trading, a global provider of specialised engineering services to the marine industry. Explaining the new joint venture's business remit in Duqm, Jose said: "We started out as a shipchandling company, but have since diversified our range of services to include, among other areas, ship stores and spares. By ensuring the speedy availability of ship spares, our goal is make Duqm a destination of choice for shipping lines and thereby enhance the overall international appeal of this hub."
In support of this goal, Khimji Ramdas plans to build a warehouse for ship stores close to the dry dock. "We have applied for a 5,000 sq metre plot for the construction of a dedicated warehouse for ship spares. Our objective is to stock the great majority of consumables for the marine industry, thereby allowing for ship owners to source parts at short notice. Fuji Trading, with its global presence, is best known for its success in sourcing and delivering ship parts in the shortest time possible," Jose said.
A key part of the JV's offering to the local marine industry will be 'cocooning' services. Cocooning protects key ship spares, such as engines, shafts, and so on, from rust and corrosion by covering them with a tough and seamless weather-proof cocoon skin that hermetically seals them against moisture and dust. Within the cocoon the relative humidity is kept below 40 per cent which prevents the formation of mould and corrosion. In addition, rubber and other used synthetic materials remain intact at this humidity level. Materials protected this way are available for use at any time.
Khimji Ramdas' Shipping Division is an integrated and well-diversified provider of shipping, logistics, freight transportation and air cargo services. The company represents reputed container lines, common carrier feeder operators, tanker operators, bulk carriers, cruise liners and international freight forwarders besides undertaking shipchandling, project handling, customs clearance, transport, air cargo, P&I Club representation, insurance, and husbanding services for naval ships.
By Conrad Prabhu
Oman Daily Observer 2011
