DW to open new Batam facility

Drydocks World, a unit of Dubai World, will develop a $300 million marine services centre on Indonesia’s Batam Island as the company expands its ship repair and fabrication business in Southeast Asia. Chief executive officer Geoff Taylor said DW will hold an 80% stake in the project in which Dubai-based steel fabrication firm Fabtech is a partner.

The marine services centre will cover 172 hectares, an area 22% larger than the total combined land of the three shipyards on Batam and one in Singapore operated by Drydocks World. “This centre will be like Jadaf,” Taylor said, referring to the Al Jadaf ship repair services complex operated by the company in Dubai. “We will build the main facilities ourselves, but land will also be available to specialist services companies. “The site was acquired last year and a part of the land will be reclaimed from the sea. Reclamation work will start next year,” Taylor said.

DW entered Southeast Asia last year after it took over Singaporean firms

Pan United Marine Limited and Labroy Marine Limited. DW’s largest shipbuilding facility is in the Nanindah area in Batam, with other two facilities located close by in Graha and Pertama. Expansion projects are being implemented to add new capacity at the existing facilities.

The Nanindah shipyard at present has 18 vessels, including cattle carrier, cement ship and offshore supply boats under construction. It has orders for another 52 vessels that can keep the yard busy for another two years. The shipyard will get eight more gantry cranes and its open fabrication area will be expanded. Offshore rig-making capacity is also being added.