Oman’s Asyad Group, a provider of integrated logistics solutions, has announced the inauguration of the second ship built at Asyad Drydock in Duqm ‘MEFK Pearl’, a 24 meters long boat that will be operated at the Port of Fujairah.

This new milestone in the Group’s shipbuilding journey further solidifies Asyad’s position on the logistics world map as a hub, supplying regional markets with high-tech technologies and turnkey steel and aluminium ships, reported Oman News Agency (ONA).

Dr. Ibrahim Bakhit Al Nadhairi, CEO of Asyad Shipping and Asyad Drydock said: "This step complements the strategies developed by the Group to support the growth of the shipbuilding industry in Oman , and expand its portfolio to meet the needs of its customers in both regional and global markets.

"By using aluminium, we have been able to advance our shipbuilding capabilities at the Drydock. Together with our industry know-how and local engineering and design talents, we have been able to provide high-quality manufacturing services to our clients. Our ambitions don’t stop there, taking it one step further, we are also building specialized vessels for transportation, modern fishing and marine research.”

Al Nadhairi went on to explain that Asyad is working hand in hand with various government organizations and the private sector to advance the shipbuilding industry in the Sultanate of Oman. The partnership with the private-public sector aims to provide and meet the needs of the local market for multipurpose boats and ships for operations, navigational services, fishing and recreational purposes, in addition to maintenance.

Speaking about the partnership with the private sector, Hritik Khimji, Board Member of Khimji Ramdas Group, said: “Against the backdrop of building the first-ever modern boat in Oman, ‘Hulm Al Behar’, we are part of another joint cooperation with Asyad to build ‘MEFK Pearl’ which is designed with world-class specifications to facilitate docking support services and crew transportation in the Port of Fujairah. We are here to provide the best services to customers and contribute to the Sultanate of Oman’s efforts to advance the competitiveness of its logistics sector.”

Dr Abdulsalam Omar Al Rabaani, Acting Chief Operating Officer of Asyad Drydock, added: “The Dock’s production workshop encompasses an area of more than 400,000 square meters and is equipped with world-class logistics capabilities and technical equipment, assuring an optimal working environment to construct high-quality vessels with fast delivery times. This has given us the edge to become the centre of all shipping needs from various markets including the construction of ships and vessels of various sizes and uses that are sustainable and environmentally friendly.”

The ‘MEFK Pearl’ which is 24 meters long, 6.5 meters wide, took about 17,000 hours to build, and has a carrying capacity of 55 tons. It can accommodate up to 25 people including crew members and is built according to the highest environmental and technical standards, passing several performance evaluations tests by authorities in Oman.