Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) on Sunday saw the arrival of its first brand new batch of tug boats for Khalifa Port.

The ceremony to celebrate the arrival of the new tug boats for Khalifa Port followed the previous commemoration of the keel-laying ceremony for two new 32-metre escort tugboats. Stakeholders including DOT, Customs, Irshad, and Abu Dhabi Terminals (ADT), Grandweld were invited to the ceremony.

Captain Mohammad Al Shamisi, Executive Vice President of Ports Operations for (ADPC), commented: “ADPC could not be prouder that we have yet again reached another milestone. We share this pride with our ADPC stakeholders and customers and are dedicated to providing them the highest quality of services. We are very excited that our first brand new tugboats for Khalifa Port have finally arrived as they are especially designed to handle the world class infrastructure port project”.

The tugboats were built by Grandweld, an internationally recognised company that specialises in ship building, ship repair, and conversion of offshore vessels and has earned a first-class reputation for high building standards, timely delivery, and round the clock operation.

Jamal Abki, General Manager of Grandweld, commented: “We thank Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) for giving us the opportunity to build their first escort tugs for Khalifa Port. We at Grandweld understood the requirement of ADPC for high standard and top quality tugs. Therefore, these tugs were built to the most advanced design and fitted with the highest quality equipment that will ensure reliability and mission readiness for heavy duty operations at the Port.

We are proud to advise that both, Al Fenci and Al Durrah have successfully passed stringent testing requirements during extensive sea trials that was attended and certified by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS Class). Both vessels over performed on speed and bollard pull, which categorise the capabilities and value of the tugs.”

The new Khalifa Port will be the most technologically advanced within the region, with a semi-automated container handling facility and a wide range of productivity enhancing processes. It will have an initial annual capacity of 2 million and-a-half containers and 12 million tons of cargo. Dredged to receive the largest ships, it can grow in phases in line with Abu Dhabi’s economic growth.