Qatar: NDSQ Pens Deal for One Fast Luxury Vessel

Qatari shipbuilder Nakilat Damen Shipyards Qatar (NDSQ) has signed a contract for the construction of a 69m-long fast luxury vessel, to be built entirely in Qatar.

HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Fahd Al Thani, State Minister, and Muhammad Ghannam, Chairman of NDSQ, signed the contract for the vessel at a ceremony held in Doha, Qatar, on March 23.

The customized vessel will be built at Qatar’s state-of-the-art Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard by NDSQ, the shipbuilding joint venture between Qatari shipping company Nakilat and Dutch shipbuilding group Damen Shipyards. Based on the proven axe-bow hull of Damen’s 67m Sea-Axe navy, coastguard and yacht support vessels, the vessel will be equipped with the latest technology and will reach speeds of up 20 knots.

The signing ceremony announces NDSQ’s entry into the superyacht new-build market, with the company ready to accommodate the world’s biggest luxury vessels. NDSQ’s facilities at Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard include a 180m long x 70m wide x 50m high hall for the finishing and refit of high-value vessels, featuring two separate, fully climate-controlled bays.

The signing of the fast luxury vessel expands the list of milestone achievements recently publicized by NDSQ. In January NDSQ inaugurated the 140m barge Al Ghatroushah, the largest vessel ever to have been constructed in Qatar. NDSQ also launched six built-in-Qatar mooring boats in November 2012 and is working on a further 13 vessels destined for use at Qatar’s Port of Mesaieed.

Upon the occasion of the signing ceremony, HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Fahd Al Thani said: “We are very proud of this great achievement, which represents a key milestone in HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani’s Qatar National Vision 2030. Our fully integrated marine industry will play a major role in the future development of Qatar and we are delighted to be placing this order for the first vessel of this type to be built in Qatar, for Qatar.”

Muhammad Ghannam commented: “We are honored to be given this opportunity to deliver this landmark yacht project in Qatar. NDSQ continues to prove Qatar’s shipbuilding capabilities while Nakilat, Damen and NDSQ are all fully committed to realizing His Highness’s vision for world-class shipbuilding in Qatar.”

Kommer Damen, Chairman of Damen Shipyards Group, said: “We are proud of our partnership with Nakilat and we intend to supply all the necessary support and knowhow for NDSQ to become a premier shipbuilder for all vessel types.”

[mappress]
Press Release, March 25, 2013