Delegation from JTC Corporation Visits Drydocks World’s Dubai Shipyard

A six-member high-level delegation from JTC Corporation (JTC), Singapore visited Drydocks World’s Dubai shipyard recently. The team was led by Leow Thiam Seng – Director, Aerospace, Marine & Cleantech Cluster and Leong Hong Yew – Director, Market Division and was received at the shipyard by Khamis Juma Buamim, Chairman of Drydocks World, Ali Bin Towaih, Vice President – Business Development, Strategies and Administration, Dr. Markus Voege, Vice President – Operation and Production and senior executives of Drydocks World and Dubai Maritime City at the Drydocks World offices.

The meeting sought to explain and discuss plans for future marine industry strategy in Singapore and to seek co-operation on projects such the Green Marine industry development plan involving government, industry players and leading universities. Other areas that were discussed included cooperation for future R&D in marine industry involving Offshore Oil & Gas deep sea exploration facilities and support vessels.

The team had a meeting with Khamis Juma Buamim, who said, “We are happy to welcome the team to Dubai and would like to showcase our wide ranging capabilities and expertise in our yard, which is the largest in the Middle East. We have replicated our services and capabilities in South East Asia, particularly in our yard in Tuas, Singapore. The Singapore yard in addition to carrying out significant repair and conversion projects has been supporting the industry with state-of-the-art new build projects especially targeting deep-sea oil exploration and offshore support. Considering the prospects, we have emphasized of further expanding these services and also re-locating some of the capabilities from our yard in Pertama, Indonesia to Singapore. This meeting provides us with an opportunity to take our services to the next level of high-end Research and Development.”

He emphasized on the strategic orientation towards oil, gas and energy sectors. Marine transportation is an inalienable part of distributing oil & gas far and wide. In addition, deep sea exploration and production activity has necessitated the need for highly specialized offshore support vessels with wide ranging capabilities. Drydocks World, he said has been working on developing strategic partnerships with key international players on developing compact semi-submersibles, offshore drilling platforms and high advanced environment friendly research and survey vessels. He added that harvesting wind energy requires high-precision, clean and innovative technology, which the company is actively pursuing. He expressed that he looked forward to a subsequent visit by the delegation for a long term lease renewal of the Drydocks World Singapore facility and to work out an action plan on transfer of knowledge on sophisticated, state-of-the-art technology development and implementation.

Leow Thiam Seng thanked Drydocks World for sharing experience and he said the Government of Singapore holds the Government of Dubai’s initiatives, which has resulted in the outstanding growth and development in high esteem. He explained that the strategy of Singapore 2020, lay deep emphasis on strategic co-operation in technology transfer in industries including the marine industry.

The visiting delegation later toured the shipyard and adjoining Dubai Maritime City (DMC). They evinced keen interest in the operation of the ship lift facility at DMC. They were earlier briefed about DMC, the purpose-built city for maritime and related businesses through a presentation.

JTC is Singapore’s leading industrial infrastructure specialist involved in planning, promotion and development of a dynamic industrial landscape for 40 years. Some of its landmark projects include wafer fabrication parks, business parks, Biopolis and Fusionopolis at one-north, a chemicals hub on Jurong Island, biomedical parks as well as logistics hubs for various industries. The strategic co-operation with Drydocks World is bound to be strengthened through further discussions at various levels and setting up of co-ordination teams for building mutual ties.

Drydocks World had earlier made clear of moving ahead with strong ties with the Singaporean government agencies such as the Singapore Economic Development Board, and has been building on cordial business relations existing between the two entities. The Singapore yard is working closely with JTC, SPRING and COI (Centre of Innovation), through its LIUP (Local Industrial Upgradation Programme) department for various innovation and Productivity improvement programmes.

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Source: drydocks, September 27, 2011