MENAS signs contract with Damen to build a new light tender for the Gulf

MENAS has concluded the contract with Dutch shipbuilders, Damen, who are to build the ship at a cost of 29 million Euros.

When completed in May 2004, the new vessel, which will replace the current ship Relume, will be one of the most sophisticated of its kind, and will be used by MENAS to provide a service essential for the safety of shipping and the protection of the marine environment in the busy waters of the Gulf.

Shipping in the Gulf relies on aids to navigation provided and maintained by MENAS from the coast of Oman to the northern end of the Gulf; these comprise more than 500 conventional aids, including buoys and lighthouses, as well as a Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) from four land-based radio transmitters.

The new light tender will be approximately 82 metres in length and will have a diesel-electric propulsion system. It will be equipped with a dynamic positioning system to enable precise positional stability, and with oil spill recovery and dispersal capabilities that will contribute to environmental protection resources in the region.

Construction of the vessel is to take place at Damen¡¦s yards in Galati, Romania and Vlissingen in the Netherlands, with delivery scheduled for May 2004. Three Quays Marine Services of London will be providing MENAS with consultancy and owner¡¦s supervision services during the project.

Following the signing ceremony, MENAS Chairman, Mike Pattinson, said: ¡§The new ship is an exciting project and we are confident that she will be a worthy replacement for Relume. Her greater sophistication will enable us to extend our activities and services to

promote safe navigation and environmental protection in the Gulf. It further demonstrates our commitment to the shipping industry and to the region. ¡¨