Belleli Energy wins orders worth $90m

Italian fabrications major Belleli Energy has orders worth over Dh330 million ($90 million) under various stages of completion.

The company, which started operations out of Sharjah's Hamriyah Free Zone just four months ago, yesterday started the loadout of its first unit destined for Qatar's Ras Laffan desalination complex.

"This project, involving the export of four evaporators, is worth Dh92 million ($25 million), with loadout of the final module scheduled for March," stated Remo Lui, UAE manager.

"Other projects currently underway in the UAE include a Dh195 million ($53 million) order for the Shuweihat, Jebel Dhanna desalination complex, and a Dh55 million ($15 million) contract for the Vopak-Enoc tank farm project in Fujairah, which envisages Extension No 4 with nine oil tanks together holding 300,000 cubic metres capacity."

The company has invested Dh62.5 million ($17 million) in its UAE operations since inception here five years ago.

Its stake in the Jebel Ali site - which handles metal cutting, forming, bending and other fabrications involving machine equipment - currently runs at Dh44 million ($12 million), while the recent Hamriyah site has seen it invest another Dh18.5 million ($5 million).

"Our Sharjah operations spread over a 70,000 square metre site primarily involve assembly and loadout," said Abubakar Ahmed, yard manager.

He explained the expansion into Hamriyah was also prompted by ready access to the port alongside, facilitating easy loadout of huge modules for export throughout the region. The company is already envisaging a further expansion in its Hamriyah facilities by another 50,000 square metres.

Lui suggested while there is considerable competition in the sector, Belleli itself is faring very well, with its order book filled until June 2003.

"At present, we derive 80 per cent of our regional turnover from the UAE market, and plan to start offshore module fabrication next year," he added.

The company has traditionally been engaged in the fabrication, construction and erection of tank farms, petrochemical plants, desalination units, power plants and allied projects.

The current Ras Laffan project eventually involves the loadout of 12 pieces for a total four desalination plants, and involves the construction and assembly of the four evaporator modules and their transportation. Each section is roughly 19x30 metres, and weighs 500 tonnes.

Lui added the company is also prospecting contracts from Libya, Iran and elsewhere in the region.