Latest news with #shipyard
Zawya
2 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Drydocks World launches competition to name Middle East's mightiest crane
Drydocks World, Dubai's original shipyard and a DP World company, has launched an emirate-wide competition to name a major new addition to its world-class engineering portfolio—a 5,000-tonne floating crane. As the largest of its kind in the Middle East and Africa, the crane represents the latest in a series of groundbreaking engineering innovations, underscoring the company's ongoing commitment to maritime excellence. Opened in Mina Rashid by the visionary ruler of Dubai, the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, in 1979, Drydocks World stood at the forefront of the UAE's rise as a global maritime and industrial hub. For over four decades, the shipyard has repaired some of the world's largest tankers and built cutting-edge floating infrastructure. Now, Drydocks World is inviting all residents—from engineers and students to poets and business pioneers—to help give this colossal machine a name that reflects its purpose and significance. The Floating Sheerleg Crane is being constructed by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. (ZPMC) and will be delivered to Dubai in the summer of 2026. But the name must be finalised now, before it is permanently engraved onto the crane during fabrication, becoming part of its identity for decades to come. Designed to lift loads of up to 5,000 tonnes to a height of 120 metres above water, the floating crane is being hailed as a modern marvel of maritime engineering. Once operational, it will strengthen Drydocks World's ability to deliver mega maritime and energy projects. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, said, 'This crane is more than machinery. It's a symbol of Dubai's ambition, resilience and engineering excellence. We are building something extraordinary. Now we invite the people of Dubai to help give it a name that reflects our shared values, heritage, and vision for the future.' Captain Rado Antolovic, PhD, CEO of Drydocks World, added, 'For over 40 years, Drydocks World has supported the UAE's rise as a global maritime hub. This new crane represents the next leap forward in scale, capability, and innovation.' With a maximum lift of 5,000 tonnes, the crane can lift 400 double-decker buses or twenty-five wide-body aircraft. When fully extended, it's 180-metre reach matches the rooftop height of the iconic Burj Al Arab, placing it among the most powerful and visually impressive cranes in the world. The competition is open to all residents. Participants are invited to suggest a name with cross-cultural appeal, symbolising strength, maritime heritage, innovation and the UAE's future. Entries must include proposed names in Arabic or English, along with a brief explanation of its meaning and inspiration. Names will be shortlisted by a panel of experts including Drydocks World leadership, Emirati cultural figures, and branding specialists. With the F1 Championship set for another thrilling ending at the Yas Marina Circuit in December, DP World is giving one lucky fan the chance to win a signed full-size 2025 McLaren Racing helmet.
Emirates 24/7
2 days ago
- Business
- Emirates 24/7
Drydocks World launches competition to name the middle east's mightiest crane
Drydocks World, Dubai's original shipyard and a DP World company, has launched an emirate-wide competition to name a major new addition to its world-class engineering portfolio—a 5,000-tonne floating crane. As the largest of its kind in the Middle East and Africa, the crane represents the latest in a series of groundbreaking engineering innovations, underscoring the company's ongoing commitment to maritime excellence. Opened in Mina Rashid by the visionary ruler of Dubai, the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, in 1979, Drydocks World stood at the forefront of the UAE's rise as a global maritime and industrial hub. For over four decades, the shipyard has repaired some of the world's largest tankers and built cutting-edge floating infrastructure. Now, Drydocks World is inviting all residents—from engineers and students to poets and business pioneers—to help give this colossal machine a name that reflects its purpose and significance. The Floating Sheerleg Crane is being constructed by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. (ZPMC) and will be delivered to Dubai in the summer of 2026. But the name must be finalised now, before it is permanently engraved onto the crane during fabrication, becoming part of its identity for decades to come. Designed to lift loads of up to 5,000 tonnes to a height of 120 meters above water, the floating crane is being hailed as a modern marvel of maritime engineering. Once operational, it will strengthen Drydocks World's ability to deliver mega maritime and energy projects. H.E. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, said: 'This crane is more than machinery. It's a symbol of Dubai's ambition, resilience and engineering excellence. We are building something extraordinary. Now we invite the people of Dubai, to help give it a name that reflects our shared values, heritage, and vision for the future.' Captain Rado Antolovic, PhD, CEO of Drydocks World, added: 'For over 40 years, Drydocks World has supported the UAE's rise as a global maritime hub. This new crane represents the next leap forward in scale, capability, and innovation'. With a maximum lift of 5,000 tonnes, the crane can lift 400 double decker buses or twenty five wide-body aircraft. When fully extended, it's 180-metres reach matches the rooftop height of the iconic Burj Al Arab, placing it among the most powerful and visually impressive cranes in the world. How to Enter The competition is open to all residents. Participants are invited to suggest a name with cross-cultural appeal, symbolising strength, maritime heritage, innovation and the UAE's future. Entries must include proposed names in Arabic or English, along with a brief explanation of its meaning and inspiration. Names will be shortlisted by a panel of experts including Drydocks World leadership, Emirati cultural figures, and branding specialists. The prize: With the F1 Championship set for another thrilling ending at the Yas Marina Circuit in December, DP World is giving one lucky fan the chance to win a signed full-size 2025 McLaren Racing helmet. For more information or to submit your entry, visit before 4th August, 2025.
Zawya
2 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
South Korea's HD Hyundai vies for Morocco port
South Korea's HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is eyeing long-term operating rights for Morocco's flagship Casablanca shipyard as it looks to expand in Africa to address production bottlenecks at home. With domestic shipyards operating at full capacity and a backlog of 451 vessels stretching nearly three years, South Korea's largest shipbuilder is turning to Morocco's Atlantic coastline as its next major production base, according to Lloyd's list journal and Morocco's media. The Casablanca facility - set to become Africa's largest shipyard at 210,000 square metres - is being offered for 30-year operational rights by Morocco's National Ports Agency. The site will include a crane, wharves, and an onshore dock. Morocco, which currently has just 16 merchant vessels, aims to grow its fleet to 100 ships by 2040 to support trade growth, Sabah Akadir newspaper said. Morocco's National Port Agency has cited the strategic Atlantic location of Casablanca as well as the strong demand, especially in the ship repair sector. The initial goal of the facility was to have a capacity to dry dock 22 vessels per year, as well as having cranes to handle 400 to 470 vessels a year at dockside. The lifting platforms would be able to handle six medium-sized boats up to approximately 5,000 tones. It estimated an investment of as much as $92 million would be required, with the government agency reporting it had budgeted $76 million for the project. Morocco has mounted a massive construction and development drive to brace for co-hosting FIFA world cup games in 2030. Officials said this year that development projects cover ports, airports, roads and other facilities in nearly 35 cities and investments could exceed $34 billion in such projects over the next five years. (Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon) (
Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Times
Ferguson chief says shipyard needs ferry contract with no competition
The Ferguson shipyard faces a 'very difficult' future unless ministers hand it a ferry replacement contract, the chief executive has warned. Graeme Thomson said he had already lobbied for the Inverclyde yard to be given the mandate to build the successor to MV Lord of the Isles. That vessel normally sails from Lochboisdale on South Uist to the mainland at Mallaig. Fiona Hyslop, the transport secretary, said in April that money was available for a replacement to be built with CMAL, the procurement agency, looking at designs. The yard has been in public hands since 2019 after it ran out of cash building the Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa ferries. Holyrood ministers decided in March this year that they could not legally find a way to directly award Ferguson the work to build seven electric ferries for the small vessels replacement programme and that went to the Polish yard Remontowa. Thomson, who started at Ferguson in May, told the Scottish affairs committee at Westminster that the state-owned yard could not compete on price with overseas rivals. A direct award would mean Ferguson being given the contract without it having to go through procurement. Thomson said he had 'lobbied for a direct award' and believed the Scottish government was considering whether it was possible. He said: 'I'm not aware of what might be challenges or blockers to that.' Asked by MPs what the future might hold if the yard did not win that contract, he said: 'It would be very difficult for us and very challenging.' Thomson argued there was a need to give UK yards a better chance to win domestic work with about 150 non-navy vessels due to be built over the next 30 years. He said: 'As long as there is a situation that international yards can do it cheaper than us, whether because of labour rates or tax breaks, then we will never be playing on a level playing field. We need to move the conversation away from a race to the bottom on price.' Ferguson recently won a contract from BAE Systems to build structural steel blocks for HMS Birmingham as part of the Type 26 programme. Thomson is hopeful that the scope of work could be expanded in the future, while it is also looking into bids to build pilot boats and tugs. He said: 'If the portfolio starts with smaller boats, then we get back into larger boats, then I'm very content we would protect as much of the workforce as we can.' Thomson told MPs he was confident that Glen Rosa, which is already seven years late and vastly over budget, would be ready for handover in the second quarter of next year. Separately, Shona Robison, the finance secretary, said that the Scottish government continued to talk with bus operators and transport authorities to establish demand levels for double-decker buses as part of its efforts to find a future for Alexander Dennis. The bus builder is proposing to shut its Scottish manufacturing division, with 400 jobs at risk across Falkirk and Larbert.
BBC News
16-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Ferguson shipyard boss calls for direct award of new ferry
The new boss of Ferguson Marine has called for a new CalMac ferry order to be directly awarded to the state-owned shipyard to secure its Thomson said the replacement for MV Lord of the Isles was a target contract for the Port Glasgow yard which has no ship orders once MV Glen Rosa is completed next direct award is not possible, he told a committee of MPs that "social value" should be included in the assessment of bids in order to create a "level playing field" with overseas rivals. He said it would be "very difficult" and "very challenging" to sustain the current workforce unless the yard secures the new order. The Port Glasgow shipyard recently signed a deal for subcontracting work building units for the frigate HMS Birmingham under construction by BAE Systems in Glasgow, but the new work is not in itself enough to guarantee the yard's future. He said it was actively pursuing a number of opportunities, but singled out the planned replacement for MV Lord of the Isles, an 84m (276ft) CalMac ferry built by Ferguson's 35 years ago, which normally serves South Uist. The Scottish government has said it has earmarked funding for the contract, but ferries agency CMAL is awaiting the go-ahead to begin the procurement. The Ferguson shipyard, which employs about 300 people, suffered a major blow earlier this year when an important order for seven small electric ferries for CalMac, worth £160m, went to the Polish firm Remontowa. Mr Thomson said he had been told by CMAL the Ferguson bid did well in the technical evaluation but could not match the overseas yard on price. He told the committee: "We're OK with competition as long as we're playing on a level playing field."As long as a situation prevails where international yards can do it cheaper than us because of the tax breaks, the labour rates, whatever, then we'll never be playing on a level playing field." 'Race to the bottom' Earlier an industry body told the committee that overseas yards enjoyed more state support and cheaper labour costs, often able to undercut UK yards by 10-20%. The UK's refreshed national shipbuilding strategy has called for a minimum 10% social value element in public tenders to offset that. But CMAL, which is owned by the Scottish government, has said it did not include social value in the scoring for the small vessels contract because it was worried about a possible legal challenge. Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes had earlier ruled out a direct award of that contract, also citing legal risks. Mr Thomson said public procurement needed to "move away from a race to the bottom in terms of price" to a model that recognised the economic and social benefits of building ships in the UK. "We are lobbying for a shift in emphasis on UK local content and even whether we can get direct award," he said. Mr Thomson, who took up his post in May, accepted that huge overspends and delays with two dual-fuel LNG CalMac ships had harmed the yard's reputation. He said it now needed to "demonstrate delivery" to restore confidence, and once a new order was secured it would draw down £14.2m of new investment promised by Scottish ministers. Some of the planned equipment could reduce the labour time required for steelwork by 30-40%, he said, and would make the yard more competitive. He described the two overbudget ships MV Glen Sannox and MV Glen Rosa as prototypes whose problems had arisen from a "bespoke set of circumstances". These included poor planning and an ill-advised "rush to get busy" before there was a mature design in place, he said. Why was Glen Sannox so hard to build? But he said the skills of the Ferguson workforce were no different from other more successful yards such as Babcock, where he previously worked, and BAE Systems. He said he saw the yard's future in building ships between 60 and 80m in length, much smaller than dual fuel ships which are 102.5m (335ft) shipyard could at the same time build smaller vessels, supplemented by subcontracting work on military ships, he added. What other orders could Ferguson Marine bid for? Aside from the MV Lord of the Isles replacement there are several publicly-funded ship procurements in the pipeline which could potentially provide much-needed work for the Ferguson shipyard: Phase two of the Small Vessels Replacement Programme will see ferries agency CMAL order three more small electric CalMac Scottish government has just confirmed it is looking to replace the fisheries protection vessel Minna, and the fishing research vessel Scotia - both previously built by Ferguson's - although no timetable has been UK Border Force is looking to replace 11 small vessels, and the UK government has promised they will be built in the UK. The Ferguson management believes demand for windfarm support ships or lighthouse board vessels could also provide opportunities. Prior to the ferries controversy, Ferguson's reputation was largely built by focusing on specialised ships, under 100m in length.
