ASL Marines to double capacity

Singapore shipbuilder ASL Marine has stated that its new yard in China will be fully operational next year and will double its capacity to build offshore vessels. The newly built eight-hectare shipyard in China’s Guangdong province will enable ASL Marine to build up to six offshore vessels a year, adding to its existing capacity of eight vessels.

The focus in China will be on medium-sized offshore vessels, although the range will be widened to include vessels like pipe-laying and heavy-lift vessels. The company would also look for contracts to convert oil tankers in FPSOs at its Chinese yard, where the building of smaller and less sophisticated vessels such as barges have already began this month. It would, however, take another year before the building of offshore vessels can commence.