Ship repair yard Jadaf Dubai has announced a 14 per cent increase in shiplifting operations during the first quarter of 2005, compared with the same period last year.

Dock No 1 at Jadaf Dubai, which handles all types of seafaring vessels weighing up to 250 dwt, reported a 17 per cent increase in operations. The dock was involved in the docking and undocking of 428 ships in the first three months of 2005, while Dock No. II handled 158 ships weighing 2,500 dwt.
The significant rise in dredging activities for the various offshore projects in Dubai has increased the need for regular maintenance of ships used for dredging. Jadaf Dubai has accomplished more than 2,181 shiplifting operations in 2004, whereas the European docks managed 300 operations during the year. Jadaf Dubai specialises in docking and undocking of ships, while other companies undertake repair and maintenance within the shipyard.
Mohammed Ali Abdulla Al Ghaithi, deputy operations manager, Jadaf Dubai, said: “We received requests for our services from ship owners, cargo companies and maintenance companies. The technical staff at Jadaf will decide the dock to which the particular ship has to be taken, after studying the dimensions and blueprint of the ship.”
Of the total number of technical staff at Jadaf Dubai, nearly 70 per cent are UAE nationals.
“The technical staff is responsible for the shiplifting process, which is the most complex and crucial process in our operation. The team of locals learned the techniques of shiplifting on their own and mastered them gradually under the guidance and supervision of the managers. They are recognised as the most skilled personnel in this field in the Middle East region,” said Ghaithi.
Jadaf Dubai is the chosen dock for many fleets such as Seabulk International, Amasco, Al Jaber, Stanford Marine, Gulf Agency, Inchcape, NMS and Inter Marine. The docking yard receives various kinds of yachts, passenger ships and oil tankers.