Oman Drydock Company (ODC) is aiming to open its floating dry dock to service smaller vessels by early 2015 as it seeks to expand its business into marine structure fabrication, according to senior executives of the company.
Speaking on the sidelines of the dry dock's official opening ceremony in Duqm, M J Park, CEO of ODC, told Muscat Daily that the floating dock project is currently 'under preparation.'
Park added that the design and plans will be submitted to a steering committee by the end of June, with engineering work to ensue. He said, "We will report to a steering committee by the end of this month and then they will initiate the engineering work. I think it will be completed by the end of 2014 or early 2015."
Speaking to reporters at the ceremony, H E Dr Ahmed al Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communications, said that the floating dry dock will help keep the larger berths of the existing dry dock free for bigger vessels.
He said, "We hope to start a floating dry dock soon so that we can start maintaining small vessels that do not need to enter the dry dock itself."
Park added that original plans for the floating dry dock state that it will be built in Duqm itself, but could be fabricated elsewhere if a more cost-effective alternative is found.
He said, "It will be a good facility for small- and medium-sized vessels. It will not be limited to commercial vessels but also include defence ships. Its capacity will be panamax size, which means the beam will be less than 35m long."
The ODC CEO also outlined that as the company aims to service 99 vessels this year - of which it has already serviced 'around 40' - it aims to leverage its Korean partner Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) in order to expand into industrial works, which include modular fabrication and repair of marine structures such as jack-up rigs.
He said, "We are going to expand our business in terms of industrial work and offshore projects as well. That is our long-term plan.
"We have the facilities and space to carry out industrial work, like steel structures. DSME is doing very well with this kind of business."
Park added that ODC met last week with officials from Larsen & Toubro's Sohar-based modular fabrication yard about collaborating on a project for the Oil and National Gas Corporation in India, stating that the co-operation would be a 'win-win' for both companies.
© Muscat Daily 2012
