NPCC charts $400m Fleet Expansion

Published Date : 07, Oct 2010

The NPCC Sadiyat, an anchor-handling tug which can also assist in firefighting operations, during its launch at the National Petroleum Construction Company's jetty in Mussaffah, Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday.

The National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC) based in the capital is investing more than $400 million (Dh1.46 billion) to expand its fleet of marine vessels, the company's chief executive officer Aqeel Madhi said Tuesday.

"NPCC awarded two anchor handling tugs to Lingshan Shipyard in China. The first anchor handling tug, NPCC Saadiyat was handed over last month and the next vessel, which will be called NPCC Yas will join the NPCC fleet in March next year," Madhi said at a function in Abu Dhabi to announce the arrival of NPCC Saadiyat.

Madhi said NPCC is also building in its own yard in Mussafah a jack-up vessel SEP-450, using its own expertise and workforce, The new vessel is expected to be ready by the end of 2011.

Furthermore, he said a major step was taken in awarding a large Derrick Lay Barge, DLS-4200 to ZPMC shipyard in China last May, with a planned completion in July 2012.

"These vessels will provide us with greater flexibility and capability to work in shallow waters, deep waters and also in adverse weather conditions," said Madhi. Separately, NPCC Chairman Hussain Al Nowais told reporters the company is looking at opportunities for expansion.

"We are looking at Libya, Nigeria, Kazakhstan...evaluating opportunities for expansion," he said.

NPCC is a major engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor with a workforce of more than 10,000, a fleet of 14 vessels, a yard of one million square metres and an engineering workforce of more than 600. It currently has interests in the UAE, the Gulf, India and Iran.