An Asry team on a naval project

ASRY, the leading ship and rig repair yard in the Arabian Gulf, has launched a new department dedicated to military projects.  Called the Navy Defence and Industrial Projects (NDIP) department, it is targeting naval projects throughout the region.

 The specialised team, headed by Anthony Haile, formerly of the UK Royal Navy, is expanding the yard’s strong experience in the defence sector to become one of Asry’s primary differentiators from other regional yards, an Asry statement said. “The new move is aiming at capturing approximately 60 per cent of the regional naval market, up from approximately 45 per cent currently,” it added.

Asry’s chief executive Nils Kristian Berge remarked: “Naval repair work requires a very specific skill set and unique standards, which we have built up over recent years. By focusing that knowledge into a specialised team, we can assure naval customers that we speak their language when it comes to marine repair. This move has already seen results, with a unique invitation to the UK Ministry of Defence to discuss future collaborations.”

Berge: Asry well-placed for bigger role

Berge: Asry well-placed for bigger role

Bahrain hosts two of the largest fleets in the region, the UK and US, as well as Bahrain’s own naval resources, and Asry has been the popular choice for their repair work with 60 vessels docking at the yard in the past five years. This number is set to increase dramatically over the next two years, as Asry invests heavily, including the embedding of a new MAN-Diesel workshop on-site as an original equipment manufacturer. This move alone is attracting US attention as their fleets primarily use MAN-Diesel engines. Meanwhile further negotiations are under way with the local Bahrain Navy for a more comprehensive ongoing relationship.

Asry’s recent naval credentials have been growing in stature and gaining recognition, including a Forward Support Team based in Mina Salman port in Bahrain and assisting with waterfront naval projects and maintenance support. Also, as part of its customisation to particular naval repair sensitivities, Asry now operates the authorised access pass system developed by the Ministry of Defence Saudi Armed Forces Projects team which ensures maximum confidentiality and risk management for its people working within these vessels.

 

PROJECT JUPITER

Meanwhile, Asry has said a major initiative to boost in-yard technical resources has seen several global contractors invest in the company.

Berge said “Project Jupiter”, which includes the construction of new workshops, signing of agreements with new subcontractors, and improvements in the already extensive list of on-site specialist contractors, also entails corporate restructuring.

The new corporate structure will streamline the yard’s focus and consolidate customers’ understanding of Asry’s primary strengths including its renowned marine repair expertise that adheres to the highest safety and operational excellence with globally recognised quality accreditation.

Workers on a job at Asry

Workers on a job at Asry

“This will have a double impact in that Asry will become a hub for industrial services in the region, and subsequently be able to provide a one-stop-shop for marine customers who will have all their requirements met in a single location,” Berge said.

Asry is making a push into Saudi Arabia’s land-based rig repair market. “Saudi Arabia has around 100 onshore drilling rigs in place and there is a rising demand for services in the upstream market,”
Berge said.

“With established revenue streams continuing to grow, Asry also saw new streams come online last year,” he said. “The consultancy division, which was founded at the beginning of last year with a view to providing independent engineering and design expertise to mitigate maritime risk, saw business levels in its first year of operations almost double the expected target,” he added.

According to him, the move to establish Asry Consultancy Services paid greater dividends than expected largely due to a proactive approach in which work was generated by the division approaching clients directly and through existing repair scopes.

“This detachment of Asry’s engineering expertise, to be monetised independently, is a move that is set to grow in the coming years,” Berge said. “While new projects are being completed to expand the yard’s capabilities, the core repair business continued to make history with two major milestones occurring last year. First was the repair of Asry’s 4,000th ship. This tally now ranks us as one of the most experienced shipyards in the Middle East, having been in operation since 1977, longer than any yard in the Arabian Gulf.”

The 4,000th vessel, the Gas Al Gurain, was an LPG tanker owned by Kuwait Oil Tanker Company (KOTC).

The second milestone, Berge said, was Asry’s repairs to its 50th rig, the Perro Negro 5, an independent leg cantilever jack-up rig owned by Saipem and operated by Saudi Aramco.

“The size and scale of the rig is indicative of the evolution of Asry’s rig capabilities and expertise over the five years since the division was launched,” he said. In that time, the yard had repaired one of the largest rigs in the world. Last year, it posted offshore repair work revenues that were approximately 42 per cent of total revenues, making it now an essential part of the business,” Berge added.

 

IMPROVEMENTS

Last year saw the completion of all infrastructure work for the new 1.4 km quay.

“In order to provide full spectrum services to vessels berthed alongside the new quay, new infrastructure networks were embedded in the build, including electrical power, compressed air, fresh water, general service water, fire-fighting systems and IT systems. With these now complete, the new quay is a state-of the-art alongside berth capable of servicing vessels of virtually any size and type,” Berge remarked.

A vessel at the yard

A vessel at the yard

Asry also completed construction of a fleet of four new state-of-the-art Azimuth Stern Drive tugs. Berge said this will not only improve the yard’s vessel shifting to optimum levels, but also demonstrate its growing capabilities in small vessel construction, an area of future growth.

The year also saw the completion of a new zero-waste sewage treatment plant, which can treat the entire yard’s sewage to fresh water standards, which can then be used for landscaping purposes.

“The plant adopts the moving bed biofilm reactor technology which is another boost to Asry’s award-winning environmental reputation,” the chief executive said.

The year’s highlights included the installation of a $1.5 million automated blasting and painting machine. “This will improve the productivity and quality of steel plate treatments and profiles, ensuring customers receive the highest standard of finishes on their vessels,” he added.

Founded in 1977 in Bahrain, Asry has long experience in marine asset optimisation. Its leading range of facilities includes a 500,000 dwt drydock, two floating docks of 252 m and 227 m in length, 15 repair berths with a total length of approximately 4,000 m and twin 255 m slipways as well as a full range of workshops and service centres. The yard’s portfolio of capabilities is not only the largest in the Arabian Gulf, but also includes jack-up rigs and other offshore assets, due to a dedicated division – Asry Offshore Services. Combined with a series of other diversifications including a Consultancy Division for marine engineering packages, Asry is a multi-functional marine services hub committed to providing international standards to global shipowners operating in the Arabian Gulf.