Grandweld Shipyards completes the delivery of four GrandMax Crewboats for Saudi-based offshore oil & gas service provider, High Seas Marine Industrial Services Co. (HSM). This feat was accomplished in a span of 14 months, despite the numerous challenges of the pandemic.
The official delivery ceremony recently took place at Grandweld’s headquarters in Dubai Maritime City (DMC), in the presence of Eng. Jamal Abki, General Manager of Grandweld Shipyards and Eng. Ibrahim Al Saeed, Managing Director of High Seas Marine Industrial Services Co.
Utilising years of market expertise
With the completion of this newbuild that had design specifications unlike existing market requirements, Grandweld showcased its technical expertise and progressive approach. The shipyard tackled numerous design challenges such as the use of a different kind of block, larger beam and deck space, more depth, higher number of engines with an added 4thengine that will give the vessel speed and extra reserve power to help her perform to the optimum all her life.
Eng. Jamal Abki, General Manager of Grandweld Shipyards said, “Though this is High Seas’ first project with Grandweld, we have had a long-standing professional relationship. However, multiple factors prompted our collaboration for this project. Their decision was driven by our technical capabilities, the reliability of the yard and also the pricing. We are proud to have won their confidence and delivered as per our promise. We supported the HSM team with technical insights even before the project was awarded to us and this boosted their confidence in the competencies of the shipyard and led to a successful collaboration throughout the whole process, starting from design to delivery.”
Eng. Ibrahim Al Saeed, Managing Director of High Seas Marine Industrial Services Co. stated, “The four newbuilds have new specifications that do not exist in the market. Hence, selecting the right partner for this project was crucial. We were certain that a reliable shipyard like Grandweld would be apt to design and build the required vessels as per the new requirements without any hassle. Since we are working with Saudi Aramco, a leading company that has strategic importance in the region and around the globe, the onus was on us to deliver the best quality to satisfy our client. The support we have received from the Grandweld team, especially Eng. Abki, despite the global pandemic, has helped us complete the project with the best possible quality and as per the decided timeframe”
Al Saeed added, “Usually crew boats are about speed, but apart from speed above 30 knots, other requirements from our end-user included comfort for the crew and high stability. Additionally, the boats are designed to operate under and withstand tough rough weather conditions. So, they are heavier, have a deeper draft and are equipped with extra reserve power. To attain this, we had to achieve speed at 85 per cent MCR not at 100 per cent MCR. This will ensure that throughout the years the vessel will continue to perform in accordance with the current requirement with reserve.”
Strengthening the UAE-Saudi economies
Over the years, governments from the UAE and Saudi have collaborated to empowering cross-border trade. According to the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, from January to September 2020, Saudi Arabia was the second leading trade partner for non-oil trade with a trade value of Dhs90.8bn. By kicking off this project, the Grandweld-HSM collaboration is aimed at enhancing this growth.
Eng. Jamal Abki stated, “We at Grandweld have always believed in promoting the UAE and representing the country in the region and around the globe. This collaboration will open doors to other companies that are looking for shipbuilding support, thus driving feasible growth in both countries. In fact, after our success story with HSM, we see them as long-term partners. So, we are looking forward to future collaborations.”
Eng. Ibrahim Al Saeed commented, “The UAE is an ideal destination for us, owing to its proximity to Saudi and its strategic location that connects it to the rest of the world. Furthermore, with the uptick in the market and some mega-projects in the pipeline, we hope that markets will thrive. Both nations are working to enhance trade relations that will boost the economy of the respective countries and the region. We take pride in being able to contribute to the vision of our wise leaders. Moreover, with leading names like Grandweld supporting us, we are confident of being able to promote growth.”
While this collaboration Grandweld has helped HSM in fulfilling its requirements, steering the company towards achieving operational efficiency. Their capabilities and industry experience have ensured the creation of a strategic business relationship between Grandweld and HSM.
