Qatar Gas Transport Company Ltd. (Nakilat) 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.
The agreement provides a landmark partnership between the world’s leading transporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and a global leader in shipbuilding.
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.
