Damen Shipyards Sharjah has held a keel-laying ceremony for the ASD Tug 2913 that is currently being built for Saqr Ports, part of Rash Al Khaimah (RAK) Ports, in the UAE.
Captain Brand, Group General Manager RAK Ports; Captain Magee, Harbour Master RAK Ports; Pascal Slingerland, Damen Sales Manager Middle East, and the Albwardy Damen management and project teams, all attended the keel-laying on August 28, 2017, where Captain Brand lowered the base structure onto building blocks.
Captain Brand and Captain Magee marked the occasion by breaking a coconut over the keel.
Damen then presented a 3D engineering model of the vessel to the client.
RAK Ports will receive the vessel from Damen next year in mid-2018.
The tug will arrive for the opening of a new bulk terminal at Saqr Port, the main bulk-handling port in the Middle East and a vital part of the regional economy, processing 55 million tonnes of bulk material exports through to countries around the Arabian Gulf every year.
RAK Ports needs the tug to handle the large carriers that will call at the port.
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Captain Magee said: “The experience at the yard reinforced our belief that the decision to build with Damen was a wise one.
“We were able to visit the tug via a 3D CAD presentation and see all aspects of the vessel from the wheelhouse to the bilges.”
General Manager Captain Cliff Brand commented: “Damen have shown great versatility – to be able to produce their first 2319 in the UAE at our request is indeed impressive.”
