OMAN Drydock Company (ODC) says it has made a giant leap forward in its campaign to become one of the leading shipyards in the world for LNG repairs after it was formally awarded the coveted Gaztransport & Technigaz (GTT) licence at the Posidonia Shipping Trade Fair in Athens, Greece.

ODC chairman Dr Abdulmalik Al Hinai was joined by GTT’s CEO Phillippe Berterottiere at the ODC stand to make the announcement. Berterottiere said it is highly important that ODC is able to put into place a solid quality system in order to serve as a centre for LNG expertise.

“Oman has an important LNG fleet and its geographical position thrusts it into the forefront of the international LNG market,” he said. “It is close to the shipping routes for the Gulf and Asia. GTT has been very impressed by ODC’s commitment to standards right through its workforce, management and control systems.  We also saw evidence of ODC’s determination to continue to improve into the future, which is vital to us. The GTT technology is advanced and ODC had to reach a technically very high level to secure this licence. We are delighted to make the award and look forward to working with the ODC team in the years ahead.”

Dr Al Hinai said ODC worked enormously hard to earn the GTT licence.

“We are deeply committed to providing the highest possible standards of repair work in the LNG sector,” he said. “The GTT licence will strengthen our offering for cargo containment systems for high-end LNG carriers. More widely, the GTT licence is proof of our intent and our seriousness to grow and diversify into the LNG market,” he said. He recalled a recent announcement on the launch of a new venture with its partner DSME which would further strengthen its LNG services. “Working with its subsidiary DSEC we have developed one of the most advanced LNG repair packages in the world. Our new LNG services will cover key areas such as the supply chain of various materials such as Invar, insulation boxes, membranes, prefabricated panels and cryogenic safety valves. Meanwhile, we are also investing in new facilities including renovating our cryogenic shop so it can cater to repairing up to four LNGCs at any one time.”

ODC is one of the newest shipyards in the world and is based in Duqm, Oman’s planned new port and logistics city. Following a soft opening in 2011 the $1.5 billion shipyard, which is 1.3 million sq m in size, has drydocked more than 230 vessels.

Dr Al Hinai said the Greek shipping market is of vital importance to ODC.

“ODC has already delivered repairs to more than 50 Greek owned or operated ships,” he said. “We have an important relationship with Dynacom Ship Management helping drydock a number of its vessels including VLCCs. We are further proud to repair the Astro Polaris owned by Maran Tankers which we delivered a day ahead of schedule.”