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Oman Drydock Company (ODC) has recently announced that it has reached not just one, but two important landmarks in its relatively short history. The yard, in Duqm, recently completed its 300th drydocking which was also its first ever conversion job.
The project involved the yard transforming the oil-bulk-ore (OBO) carrier Olympic Luck into a VLCC for the Greek shipowner, Springfield Shipping Company. More than 1000 men worked on the job, which required 3000 tonnes of steelwork, and was completed in around 80 days. During the conversion ODC removed bulkhead covers and installed new bulkheads, increasing vessel loading efficiency, while drawing on the technical expertise of the South Korean company, Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME), which has a long-term contract to manage the shipyard.
At a ceremony to mark the completion of the conversion, ODC chairman, Dr Abdulmalik Bin Abdullah Al Hinai said the shipyard is developing a formidable reputation for shiprepair and conversion services. He added, “This was the first major conversion job we have undertaken and is a terrific showcase for the world class infrastructure, facilities and workforce we have.”
The Oman yard used DSME’s broad knowledge of precision engineering and design innovation to inform its construction methods during the conversion. ODC fabricated close to 40 blocks, weighing between 50 and 80 tonnes, for Olympic Luck. By building larger units, ODC was able to cut both time and cost.
Springfield Shipping Company general manager, Dimitris Patrikios said ODC’s ability to deliver the highly complex conversion could lead to future work with the yard. “This was a unique project which helped to show the professional expertise of ODC,” he said. “It was the first time ODC has taken on a project of this scale. Our decision to award the contract was based on ODC’s promise to complete the project with high quality.”
Dr Al Hinai added that ODC is now looking to capitalise on its unique selling points to catapult itself further into the global multi-billion pound ship repair, conversion and new build sector. “Our ambition is to be renowned as the best drydock in the Middle East,” he said. “ODC, the port of Duqm and the maritime sector, more widely, have fundamental roles to play in Oman’s future economy.We encourage young people in Oman to grasp the glittering opportunities that the maritime sector offers for long term, fulfilling careers and it is important to emphasise that the maritime industry offers an opportunity for people of all academic backgrounds.”
He also pointed out that the yard has a beneficial geographic location, which means vessels do not have to greatly deviate their course, helping to further reduce the costs and time required for drydocking. ODC’s drydocks can accommodate any size of vessel up to VLCCs and it has 2.8km of alongside quay space. Moreover, ODC has the space and planning permission to further double in size if required.
Another benefit highlighted by Dr Al Hinai is ODC’s ability to deal with sludge and slops disposal, through a special 10,000 cubic metres capacity facility, which is the largest of its type in the Middle East. “We can save up to three days sailing time as we can deal with it all here on site. There is no need for vessels to sail to another location,” he concluded.
