17 September 2015, Lagos – The Badagry Ship Repair and Maritime Engineering Company, a consortium of five Nigerian companies, and its technical partners, Samsung Heavy Industries and Hyundai Heavy Industries, have opened discussions with Damen Shipyard, the leading shipyard operator in The Netherlands.
A statement made available to our correspondent stated that a recent meeting was one of many that had been held to review the progress of the project.
Speaking after the fourth strategic partners’ meeting in Lagos, the Chairman, BSMEC, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, said the consortium was working with various globally-tested technical partners and shipyard operators to deliver world-class services.
Afolabi said, “Samsung Heavy Industries and Hyundai Heavy Industries are part of the project, while we have also opened discussions with Damen Shipyard, the leading shipyard operator based in Holland. All the partners are committed to see this project come to completion.
“The vision of this facility is to establish a world-class ship repair and maintenance centre in Nigeria, which will take care of the huge number of vessels that currently operate in Nigeria.
“It will create jobs, develop both the maritime and oil industries and act as foreign exchange earner, among other benefits. This project will be a game changer when it is completed.”
The proposed facility will undertake the repair and maintenance of large vessels and offshore units. Specific markets in which the yard has developed a string of experience are VLCC, ULCC, Suez and Aframax tankers, LPG, LNG carriers, VLCS, ULCS and PCCs.
Others include capesize and panamax bulkers, cruise liners, RoRo, Ropax, off shore platforms, semi-subs, jack-ups, PSV, OSV and various other off-shore working vessels, FPSOs and conversions works on various vessel types. The catchment area of the facility will also include the West African market.
Samsung and Hyundai will be investing in the facility as promoters as well as adding their technical expertise.
Hyundai Shipbuilding Division, the world’s number one shipbuilder, leads the global shipbuilding industry with a 15 per cent share of the market. The Hyundai shipyard stretches over four kilometres along the coast of Mipo Bay in Ulsan, Korea.
Samsung Heavy Industries, on the other hand, has received orders for 1,054 units of ships from the world’s leading shippers as of December 31, 2013. Its world-leading technological excellence is proven by its successful delivery of 942 units of ships.
Damen Shipyard operates many shipyards worldwide, while it also does both ship repair and conversion of ocean going vessels and platforms in a broad sense.
- Punch
