Project Jupiter, an initiative to create a leading portfolio of Onsite Specialist Contractors, sees ABB, SOLAS, Seven Seas and more invest $3.7m at Bahrain-based ASRY in 2014, with more in the pipeline.
ASRY has seen several global specialist contractors, including ABB, SOLAS, and Seven Seas increase their investment at the shipyard to provide more substantial services to ship and rig owners over the course of 2014. The moves are a part of Project Jupiter, an initiative launched to make ASRY the leader in Onsite Specialist Contractors in the Middle East, which has several more international names lined up to boost their presence at the Bahrain-based shipyard.
Current investment from Specialist Contractors in the yard already totals approximately $3.7m, and with new confirmed clients in the pipeline, that number looks set to rise to at least $9.2m by the end of 2014.
“This new initiative will give ASRY the highest quality mix of Onsite Specialist Contractors in the Middle East to ensure that any global owners needs are catered for specifically and efficiently,” said Nils Kristian Berge, ASRY Chief Executive. “By being able to offer the comprehensive range of specialist services on site, there is less need for owners to bring specialized engineers. We’ve already seen important names like ABB, SOLAS, and Seven Seas open new or bigger workshops at the yard, with several more on the way. By the end of Project Jupiter, ASRY will be a ‘one-stop-shop’ for Owners, due to being the leader in Onsite Specialist Contractors in the Middle East.”
ASRY already accommodates 33 Specialist Contractors, including ]names such as Alfa Lavel, Wartsila, Blohm+Voss, Harris PYE, Goltens, and more. As Project Jupiter continues, 2014 will see several more global names take a permanent and significant presence in the yard. New agreements are imminent with more reputed OEM’s. In Q1:
• ABB Industries opened its workshop in ASRY to provide onsite international factory warranties to all service jobs done at ASRY, including dedicated machines and engineers at a workstation within the shipyard, and access to its worldwide Service Network.
• SOLAS signed an agreement which will see a 2,000-sq.-m. Service Center for Life Boats, Life Rafts and Fire Fighting Life Saving Appliances in ASRY.
• Seven Seas’ new $800,000 facility has two workshops, one for metal fabrication, producing HVAC and architectural items and another shop for carpentry, building high quality furniture and architectural items, predominantly for Offshore solutions.
Targeting the Navy Market
ASRY launched a new department dedicated to military projects called the Navy Defense and Industrial Projects (NDIP) Department. The specialized team, headed by Anthony Haile, formerly of the UK Royal Navy is expanding ASRY’s experience in the defense sector to become one of ASRY’s primary differentiators from other regional yards. The new move is aiming at capturing approximately 60% of the regional Naval market, up from approximately 45% currently.
ASRY Chief Executive explained, “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 specialized team, we can ensure 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.”
Bahrain is the host to 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’s 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 its fleet 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. An ongoing project in Saudi Arabia has seen ASRY assist the BAE Systems Mid Life Update (MLU) of the Royal Saudi Naval Force fleet, undertaking 80% of the refit work with an ASRY team of approximately 60 men. ASRY also has a Forward Support Team based in Mina Salman port in Bahrain assisting with waterfront naval projects and maintenance support. Also, as part of its customization to particular Naval repair sensitivities, ASRY now operates the authorized access pass system developed by the Ministry of Defense Saudi Armed Forces Projects team which ensures maximum confidentiality and risk management for its people working within these vessels.
(As published in the August 2014 edition of Maritime Reporter Engineering News – http://magazines.marinelink.com/Magazines/MaritimeReporter)