Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) and the UK’s BVT Surface Fleet, who recently announced a tie-up, are expected to have a strong impact on the rising navies of the region.
Under the partnership, a new company will be created to provide a complete range of support services to the navies and security organisations of the Gulf.
An MoU was signed by the two to lay the foundations for the new company to be established in Abu Dhabi in 2009, according to an ADSB official.
“This will be the first joint venture of its kind in the Arabian Gulf region where a locally-based, world-class, naval shipbuilding company has teamed with one of the world’s leading providers of through-life naval support services,” says William Saltzer, chief operating officer, ADSB.
The new company will offer a range of naval support services across the full spectrum of integrated logistics support and training as well as outsourcing solutions for base facilities to support the marine fleets of navies, coast guards, marine police, homeland security organisations, special forces and other key commercial customers not only in the UAE, but in other states of the GCC as well.
ADSB, already an important strategic asset for naval customers in the GCC, says it would, through this joint venture with BVT, be able to increase the level of support for its clients, allowing them to focus their efforts on the important duty of protecting the UAE and the GCC countries.
This JV will have the local presence, capability and experience to bring a whole new level of naval fleet support to the region. “Our aim is to help our GCC customers achieve both greater operational availability of their fleets and cost savings at the same time,” says Saltzer.
“The new company is aimed at offering military and para-military clients a local provider of total naval support services to maintain their vessels, maximise availability and run non-core base activities and facilities economically to support their fleets,” he adds.
Sir John Parker, non-executive chairman of BVT, the maritime joint venture between BAE Systems and VT Group, comments: “BVT is already an important strategic naval through-life partner for the UK Ministry of Defence and a number of other navies around the world. Combining this expertise with ADSB’s first-class facilities, experience and regional knowledge will establish a world-class provider of naval support services for customers in the Gulf region.”
BVT chief executive Alan Johnston described the JV as a significant move for the company that will help enhance its customer base and global footprint.
“Together, BVT and ADSB will provide a high level of expertise to address the growing demand for enhanced through-life naval support from military and paramilitary organisations in the region,” he says.
The JV will work in close cooperation with customers in other GCC countries and form partnerships and alliances in those countries to develop local support capabilities needed there as well.
Musaffah-based Abu Dhabi Ship Building, a UAE public joint stock company, was established in 1996 and operates the most modern naval shipyard on the Arabian Gulf. ADSB is the only shipyard in the region with the capability to build, refit, repair and upgrade complex naval warships.
The company has been providing products and related services to navies, coast guards, and other military, paramilitary and commercial vessel operators throughout the GCC region.
Its recent prestigious contracts include building the largest warship (Baynunah) in the Arabian Gulf.
The first of the six Baynunah corvettes to be constructed by the company is expected to be completed by the end of the year for extensive testing.
The UAE Navy had contracted the company to construct six Baynunah corvettes at a total cost of Dh3.67 billion. The 72-m-long corvettes are considered “fast missile strike craft,” with a suite of missile systems providing the ability to defend against threats from the air, land, and water – both on the surface and underwater.
Four of the six Baynunahs are under construction. One is being built in France through a subcontractor and the other three are being built at ADSB’s shipyard in Musaffah.
Once the first Baynunah has been launched by the end of 2008 or the first quarter of 2009, it will undergo another 12 months of final outfitting and testing. Delivery to the UAE Navy is scheduled for the first half of 2010. The second Baynunah is set to be delivered eight months later, with the remaining corvettes to come in six-month intervals until 2012.
Its other major contracts include one with the Bahrain government for refitting and upgrading 10 coast guard boats.
The contract provides for the complete refurbishment of the vessels including new propulsion and auxiliary machinery, accommodation facilities and navigation equipment.
ADSB caters to four separate market segments – naval ship construction; naval ship repairs, refits and upgrades; commercial ship construction and commercial ship repairs.
Most recently, a contract for the operational refits of two of the UAE Navy’s 65 m Murray Jib Class Corvettes was awarded to ADSB by the UAE General Headquarters (GHQ). The exact value of the contract was not disclosed, but it is estimated at between Dh150 and 200 million.
ADSB has already commenced ordering the major equipment packages.
The scope of work for the operational refit will comprise repairing/replacing and overhauling the ships’ hulls and mechanical, electrical and propulsion systems as well as the replacement of several items of major equipment for the platform.
The Musaffah facility allows the company to construct highly sophisticated complex vessels in steel, marine-grade aluminium alloy and advanced composites. 
 The company has the capability to supply, integrate and upgrade sophisticated “state of the art” combat systems plus the provision of full, lifelong support of platforms and systems.
ADSB specialises in the construction of highly complex naval ships including the integration of weapon combat systems. Its yard is fully equipped to conduct repairs, refits and upgrades for naval war ships up to 2,000 tonnes while its other yard at the Jebel Ali Naval Base has capabilities for large naval war ships. ADSB’s technicians are “on call” 24 hours/day to support vessels at sea or at any port in the Gulf region.
ADSB has a steady turnover of repair work on a variety of commercial vessels including tugs, barges, landing craft, hydrofoils, dredgers and various oil industry workboats. 
Each year the company handles close to 200 repair jobs with most involving dry berthing, although a growing number are performed off-site or afloat.