Nakilat and Damen Shipyards Group Join Forces

Qatar Gas Transport Company Ltd. has signed a joint venture agreement with Damen Shipyards Qatar Holding B.V., a wholly owned subsidiary of Damen Shipyards Group, to jointly operate a world-class shipbuilding facility in the Port of Ras Laffan, Qatar.

This agreement provides a landmark partnership between the world’s leading transporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG), and a global leader in shipbuilding.

His Excellency Abdullah bin Hamad öòAl-Attiyah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Industry, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nakilat, said: “Our vision is for the new shipyard to become a centre of excellence for the construction of all types of vessels [up to 120 meters 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. Damen is a world leader with the proven expertise to assist Nakilat in achieving this vision”.

Mr. Kommer Damen, Chairman of the Board of the Damen Shipyards Group, said: “Damen is honored to be selected as Nakilat’s strategic partner for the management and operation of this world-class facility. We are confident that Nakilat and Damen can, together, make Qatar a global force in specialist ship construction”.

Nakilat and Damen have 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 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 120m. The facility has been designed to produce a wide variety of vessels, to include:

- Commercial vessels (e.g. tugs, offshore supply vessels, coastal tankers, ferries).
- Naval and Coastguard vessels.
- Luxury yachts (Custom and semi-custom steel / aluminium vessels).

The facility includes a Construction Hall, 270m long, 65m wide and 40m high, in which four (4) 120m long vessels can be constructed simultaneously. Supporting facilities also include fabrication, pipe working, and mechanical & electrical shops which utilize the latest process technologies, to ensure world-class quality, delivery and productivity.