Damen Shipyard Sharjah (DSS), a joint venture between Damen Shipyards Group and Albwardy Marine Engineering, has entered its third year of operations.

The company, working since January 2014, has 13 vessels in dock including pilot boats, landing craft, OSVs and a cable-laying vessel.

The yard delivered eight newbuildings in 2015, completed two conversions and had 165 drydockings.

Located in the Hamriyah Free Zone on a 284,000 sq m site, DSS boasts 1,200 m of quay wall and draught of between 5 m and 9 m,  a 5,200-tonne ship lift (120 m x 26.5 m platform), eight dry berths, a fully enclosed blasting and painting facility, 4,500 sq m of new-build construction sheds and 7,500 sq m of workshops for various trades active on the site.

Its location provides easy access to all seven emirates of the UAE as well as providing connections to neighbouring Gulf States closer to the Straits of Hormuz.

Last June, Maritime Craft Services in Fairlie, Scotland took delivery of its first Damen Multi Cat 3013, built by Damen Shipyards Sharjah in the UAE.

The Scottish company is one of the largest operators of Damen vessels in the world, with 14 in its fleet, but this was the first time it acquired a vessel built in the United Arab Emirates.

The order was considered an important milestone for Damen and Damen Shipyards Sharjah.