Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Gas Transport Company (Nakilat) has signed a joint venture agreement with Damen Shipyards Qatar Holding, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Netherlands-based Damen Shipyards Group, to jointly operate a shipbuilding facility in the Port of Ras Laffan.
Photo: Waelladki
"Our vision is for the new shipyard to become a centre of excellence for the construction of all types of vessels [up to 120 metres in length] that are required to secure and support the development and growth of Qatar's oil and gas industry and its expanding marine industries sector," His Excellency Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Industry, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nakilat, said.
"We are confident that Nakilat and Damen can, together, make Qatar a global force in specialist ship construction," added Kommer Damen, Chairman of the Board of the Damen Shipyards Group.
Nakilat and Damen agreed to form a 70/30 joint venture company (JVC) to manage the operation of the 15-hectare shipyard, which has been built on reclaimed land in the expanded Port of Ras Laffan.
Photo: Waelladki
The name of the JVC is: Nakilat Damen Shipyards Qatar, Limited.
The ship construction facility, scheduled to commence operations in the first quarter 2010, is a state-of-the-art facility capable of building vessels with a length overall of up to 120 metres.
The facility has been designed to produce a wide variety of vessels, to include:
