DW Dubai inaugurates ship lift

Drydocks World – Dubai, the region?s premier ship repair, conversion and new building company under the Drydocks World group, has successfully carried out its first operation on the advanced 6,000-tonne ship lift at the industrial precinct in Dubai Maritime City (DMC). The precinct at DMC also has another ship lift with a capacity of 3,000 tonnes which is operational already.

The operation involved the lifting of the 2,310 gt Bart Roberts, a mega pleasure yacht converted from the 1963 built Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker Narwhal, and transporting it safely to one of the 11 dry berths using the 6,000 tonne Ship Lift facility.

The operation was carried out by the Drydocks World – Dubai Ship Lift Operation Team. ‘This is a milestone event that will significantly enhance our current vessel handling capabilities,’ said Hamad Al Maghrabi, Director of the Jadaf facility and DMC – Ship lift, a part of Drydocks World – Dubai, of the first operation on the 6,000-tonne ship lift.

He added, “The Middle East’s largest computerised ship lift is now operational and we are very proud of this achievement. This new development will further support and reinforce DW – Dubai’s position as one of the most prolific shipyards in operation. The 6,000 tonne ship lift will now enable the yard to handle larger vessels, workboats and yachts which will tremendously sharpen our competitive edge.”

The ship lift is 130 m long, 35 m wide and has the capacity to lift vessels weighing up to 6,000 tonnes. The newly operational ship lift is the larger of the two ship lifts, built recently to boost vessel handling capabilities of the ship repair yard. The first ship lift, 90 m long, 25 m wide and 14 m in depth, is already operational with the capacity to lift vessels weighing up to 3,000 tonnes with 33 dry berths.

Manufactured by ship lift specialist company Rexroth Hydraudyne, both the shiplifts are capable of 14 m vertical travel with platforms and vessels. Last year, DMC signed a contract with DW – Dubai giving the latter exclusive rights to run and manage all components of Dubai Maritime City’s Industrial Precinct, including wet berths, dry berths, workshops, warehouses, the 3,000-tonne and 6,000-tonne ship lifts, the ship lift control building, central administration building and covered yacht repair area, among other areas.