Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) and the UAE-based Grandweld Shipyard have launched the first crew boat as per an agreement signed last March to build six pilot boats and four crew boats for KOC
The remaining nine boats will be delivered in June 2019.
The boat, that has been specially designed to meet the requirements of KOC, has been launched prior to the deadline in accordance to Lloyd's Register’s classification rules in order to provide high operational efficiency and safety.
During the launching ceremony of the first boat BAHRA, Jamal Abki, general manager of Grandweld Shipyards, emphasised, “We are now successfully launching the boat, assuring KOC and all our customers that we are committed to execute and deliver our projects as planned and in adherence to the delivery date without compromising the manufacturing quality and the welding power.”
Grandweld aims to ensure the power and durability of the vessels as they are protected from exposure to wind during manufacturing, which greatly affects the vessel’s strength and operational life, Abki added.
On another note, Sami Al-Sawagh, marine operations manager at KOC, commented, “Our fleet expansion will help the company benefit from the next recovery in order to achieve revenues and cope with the increasing demand for energy.”
Al-Sawagh clarified, “Accordingly, this fleet expansion comes in line with the company’s strategic plans to produce 3.65 mmbbl of oil per day by 2020. We believe that it will add significant value to the strategic needs of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) plan to cover all maritime operations in Kuwait's oil ports and to ensure that necessary preparations occurred to fight marine oil pollution.”
