23 Feb 2000

Arab Heavy Industries delivers modern self-propelled and self-elevating service vessel to Bibby Line

Arab Heavy Industries PJSC (AHI), a public Joint Stock Company owned by the Ajman Government, Al Futtaim Group, the Keppel Group of Singapore and other shareholders situated in Ajman, United Arab Emirates has delivered a 51-m self-propelled, self-elevating multi-purpose service vessel to Bibby Line Ltd of Liverpool, United Kingdom.

She was named the Trident Bibby One at AHI on 23 February 2000. The ceremony was graced by His Highness Shaikh Abdul Aziz Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, the President of the Department of Information and Culture, Sir Derek and Lady Bibby and the Board of Directors of Bibby Group.

The DNV-classed vessel built from a design based on a modern lift boat concept, will set new performance standards in supporting offshore activities in the Middle East and South East Asia. She will join Bibby’s existing fleet of self-elevating platforms which provide a range of production, hook up, repair and maintenance support services.

The multi-purpose Trident Bibby One has a new and unique design. She is propelled by a 5000 hp twin screw propulsion system with forward and aft thrusters, all controlled by a single joystick. She can operate in shallow waters from around 10 feet up to 180 feet and has an extensive deck space of over 9,700 square feet, providing maximum flexibility for oil companies and their contractors. Her impressive accommodation module can accommodate up to 60 people and facilities are provided for self-contained on-board operation.

"The Bibby Group and the Keppel Group have had a long association over many years in Singapore. This is one of the reasons that AHI was chosen to carry out this very sophisticated and technically demanding construction. We at Bibby Line set very high standards for our vessels and have been very pleased with the ability of AHI to deliver to us a vessel of the highest quality. We were very impressed with the project management, quality, workmanship and equipment offered by AHI," said Mr M J Bibby, Group Managing Director of Bibby Line.

"AHI is indeed proud to be chosen by Bibby Line as their builder for the Trident Bibby One, which represents a new generation of self-elevating platforms. This is one of the most complex and technically demanding newbuilding projects in the area and has proven once again the pioneering spirit and dedication to quality of our management and workers. With this new track record and our new dock which is under construction, AHI’s vision to be the leading shiprepairer and shipbuilder for small to medium size vessels is closer to realisation," said Mr Obaid Ali Al Muhairy, Chairman of AHI.

AHI is partially owned and managed by the Keppel Group of Singapore. Its shipbuilding, shiprepair and conversion arm, Keppel Hitachi Zosen, is one of the largest and most versatile shipbuilders and repairers in Asia. It has the capacity to accommodate vessels from between 5,000 dwt to 360,000 dwt with its seven yards in Asia, namely Keppel Shipyard, Hitachi Zosen Singapore, Keppel Singmarine Dockyard in Singapore; Keppel Batangas Shipyard, Keppel Cebu Shipyard and Subic Shipyard and Engineering in the Philippines and AHI in the UAE.