Drydocks World-Dubai wins British Safety Council Sword of Honour 2008

The award is in recognition of the highest safety standards the company has established with a pro-active safety management system.

Designed to encourage and reward organisations that work to set best practice in health and safety, the Sword of Honour is the most prestigious international health and safety accolade that a company can receive.

Only 40 swords are awarded world-wide each year, making the winners elite organisations that boast first class health and safety systems and standards.

Nawal Saigal, Managing Director of Drydocks World- Dubai, received the award during a grand ceremony at Goldsmiths Hall in London on Nov.28, which was attended by senior corporate leaders and other dignitaries.

"It gives us immense pride that Drydocks World- Dubai has again been recognised as one among 40 top companies in the world that follow highest safety standards in operations. This achievement is due to hard work put in by all individuals working in our organisation."

Saigal commented on the achievement.

"Sound health and safety management systems have been the base of our success. We encourage all our employees to further contribute in enhancing the high safety culture our company promotes," he said.

Application for the Sword of Honour is only open to those companies already holding a British Safety Council five-star rating.

The applicants are judged by an independent panel to ensure that uniform standards are applied.

Winning the Sword helped Drydocks World - Dubai retain its 5-star rating for 2008, which allows the company to compete for the next Sword of Honour in 2009.

For Drydocks World-Dubai, 2008 has been another year of tremendous achievements when it's overall operational excellence came in for top honours.

It won the Lloyd's List Middle East Shipyard of the Year Award for the fourth successive year and the Ship Repair/Shipyard Award at the sixth annual Seatrade Middle East and Indian Subcontinent Awards.

The company's safety standards were also honoured at the inaugural Facilities Management Middle East Awards earlier in 2008 where it received the Health and Safety Initiative Award.

The Sword of Honour and the other awards reconfirm the leading position Drydocks World - Dubai has been maintaining in global maritime industry.

The company has grown to become a strategic player providing an excellently integrated environment to undertake huge projects that require state-of-the-art technology and top-of-the-line equipment.

Drydocks World - Dubai, which celebrated its Silver Jubilee early this year, was established in 1983 with the merger of Jadaf Shipbuilding and Dubai Drydocks.

Jadaf serves smaller vessel owners, while Dubai Drydocks, with one of the largest repair docks in the world, focuses on the upper end of the market.

The yard employs over 8,500 people.

Its safety management system is certified to OHSAS 18001 - 1999 and the quality management system is certified to ISO 9001-2000.

A distinguished maritime landmark on Dubai shore, Drydocks World is well on its way to become a leading global entity with a firm base in South-East Asia through its expansion plans in India, China, and Vietnam.