Grandweld Shipyards, a leading UAE-based shipbuilder, has delivered the second of the three new 42-meter crew boats (GrandSuperior), built for Allianz Middle East Ship Management, a top provider of offshore support vessels.

Named Allianz Surfer 2, the crew boat is expected to join the charter contract for Adnoc offshore projects, as part of the UAE's strategy to increase its oil and gas production capacity.

The official delivery ceremony recently took place at Grandweld’s headquarters in Dubai Maritime City (DMC), in the presence of Jamal Abki, General Manager of Grandweld Shipyards and Ahmed T Khalil, General Manager of Allianz Middle East Ship Management

The GrandSuperior 42m crew boat series has been developed and refined over 15 years by Grandweld’s in-house engineering team. It is capable of transferring 100 pax and up to 70T of deck cargo. These crew boats have developed an incredible reputation for reliability and flexible multi-functional operations.

They are powered by three 1450HP engines to achieve over 27 knots, and also have 2x75HP bow thrusters and Grandweld’s hydrodynamically foiled rudders for exceptional manoeuvrability. The wheelhouse is very user-friendly with 360-degree visibility and ergonomic forward and aft consoles.

Jamal Abki said: “Collaborating with Allianz Middle East Ship Management LLC, a market leader with operations in several countries, was a boost to our portfolio. The completion of the second boat will give us good momentum to accomplish the rest of the project.

“Some of the primary reasons that helped us complete the project promptly, despite the volatile market conditions and the pandemic, is our team of experts at the shipyard and the trust that our clients have in us. Additionally, we also owe our success to the management system we adopted way before the pandemic. This prepared to tackle any crisis through efficient project management.”

Ahmed T Khalil said: "The pandemic ensured that only the fittest have survived in the market. Such purging is integral to ensure quality in the industry. This has allowed trusted shipyards like Grandweld to survive. In fact, we opted for Grandweld due to its reputation in the industry. Our fleet of boats is a part of projects with Adnoc; this means that quality and excellence were a top priority.

“We had full confidence that Grandweld could help us meet these standards required to serve the oil & gas industry, especially a key player like Adnoc. Moreover, we were working on a tight time frame, which was a major concern. With their outstanding work and commitment to delivering as per schedule with Surfer 2, Grandweld has proved that client satisfaction is of utmost importance for them.”

Local representation

As flagbearers of quality in the industry and supporting the local cause of “Made in UAE”, both Grandweld Shipyards and Allianz Middle East Ship Management LLC, have supported the ICV initiative. Over the years, both entities have ensured their contribution to local economic development by encouraging procurement procedures that prioritises local companies.

 “We have consistently made efforts to build our ICV score not only by the work we do within Grandweld but also by steps we take with our suppliers and vendors. So, we not only carefully monitor our ICV score, but also have a system where we check the ICV score of our suppliers and vendors,” Jamal Abki explained.

Ahmed T Khalil added: “We are certainly borrowing inspiration from Adnoc’s commitment to ensuring more economic value remains in the country from the contracts it awards. In response to the ICV initiative, launched by Adnoc, we have time and again ensured collaboration with local companies operating in the maritime sector. We heavily rely on local shipyards, Grandweld being one of them to build our boats.

“This is most certainly helping to reinforce the ‘Made in UAE’ brand, giving a boost to local production and the representation of local products on a global level. ICV is challenging to an extent, but it’s a great move to protect local companies from unfair competition in the market.”  

With the completion of this project, Grandweld has helped Allianz Middle East Ship Management in achieving operational efficiency. Through their strategic business relationship, both entities are testimony to the resilience and optimism in the shipbuilding and oil & gas markets.  – TradeArabia News Service