Recently, AD Ports Group announced that its joint venture shipyard SAFEEN Drydocks has secured two major shipbuilding contracts with a total value of up to 1.3 billion dirhams (approximately $354 million, or RMB 2.397 billion).
This is the largest order received by SAFEEN Drydocks since its establishment, covering 22 new vessels, further highlighting the UAE’s growing influence as a regional shipbuilding hub. SAFEEN Drydocks is a joint venture ship repair and construction enterprise established by AD Ports Group and Premier Marine Engineering Services, operating under the Noatum Maritime business system and serving as an important component of its integrated maritime service system.
These two new orders include the design and construction of four 140-meter-long multipurpose vessels for AD Ports Group, one of the largest maritime vessel projects ever undertaken in the UAE. Additionally, SAFEEN Drydocks will build 18 specialized maritime support vessels for Nigerian logistics company Oilbank Logistics Services Ltd, including tugs and pilot boats of various specifications.
It is reported that the four multipurpose vessels ordered by AD Ports Group are expected to be delivered in 2028, with a total tonnage of 20,000 tons. They will serve various cargo and logistics operations, each capable of carrying 105 passengers, loading up to 300 containers (including over 100 reefer plug points), while also having the capacity to transport oversized and heavy cargo, and can load up to 1,000 cars and 100 trailers.
The 18 new vessels ordered by Oilbank Logistics will be used to support port operations and offshore logistics activities in Nigeria, marking one of the largest international shipbuilding projects ever secured by SAFEEN Drydocks.
In recent years, SAFEEN Drydocks has continuously enhanced its delivery capabilities for complex newbuilding and repair projects. The company currently operates multiple facilities in the UAE and Spain, including a shipyard at Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi and the recently acquired Balenciaga Shipyard in Spain. Leveraging multidisciplinary engineering capabilities, modular construction technology, precision manufacturing processes, and a century of shipbuilding experience, the company has formed a complete shipbuilding system.
Ammar Al Shaiba, CEO of the Maritime & Shipping Cluster at AD Ports Group, stated: “These contracts fully demonstrate SAFEEN Drydocks’ ability to deliver complex shipbuilding projects for local and international clients. From multipurpose commercial vessels to specialized maritime support ships, these projects showcase the strength and diverse capabilities of the UAE’s shipbuilding industry. Continuously expanding local shipbuilding capacity holds significant strategic importance, not only in driving industrial growth and enhancing the resilience of the maritime industry chain but also in further consolidating the UAE’s position as an emerging regional shipbuilding hub.”
Biodun Otunola, Managing Director of Oilbank Logistics, stated: “The latest order is an important step in enhancing our maritime operational capabilities and supporting the long-term development of ports and offshore infrastructure. SAFEEN Drydocks fully understands our operational needs and possesses the technical expertise required to complete a project of this scale. We look forward to these new vessels entering service as soon as possible.”
The signing of these contracts also reflects the increasingly mature shipbuilding industry ecosystem in the UAE. Local shipyards represented by SAFEEN Drydocks are playing an increasingly important role in advanced ship construction, localization of maritime professional capabilities, and promoting the UAE’s development as a regional maritime manufacturing center.
