Grandweld, a UAE-based shipbuilding, ship repair and conversion specialist and part of the GMMOS Group, celebrated the keel laying ceremony for two new vessels for Sharaf Shipping Agency.

The 24m crew boats are sister vessels of the two delivered by Grandweld to Sharaf in 2006.

Grandweld general manager Jamal Abki said, "Grandweld has an exemplary quarter-of-a-century track record in developing superior vessels of the highest international standards a trait reflected in our high client retention rate, one of the highest in the industry globally."

Both vessels are customized to meet the owner’s bespoke requirements and are powered by two Daewoo 222 TIM engines, each producing 800BHP.

The aluminium hulls are designed for fuel efficiency and are ideal for the challenging operating conditions of the Arabian Gulf.

“We were impressed with Grandweld during the delivery of the original vessels and this made us very confident to place a new order to them,” said captain Farhad Patel, assistant general manager, Sharaf Shipping Agency.

From its Dubai-based Al Jadaf shipyard, Grandweld, has built a strong reputation for delivering offshore vessels with high quality, on budget and on time.

Established in 1984, Grandweld has developed into a leading builder in the region and has a portfolio of steel and aluminium vessels in the range of 20 to 70m.

This reputation has brought the company to international attention and now its client base spreads across the globe.

The two new crew boats are scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2009. Sharaf shipping will join other repeat customers such as Bourbon and Stanford Marine who are presently building 6 additional FSVs.

Grandweld is part of the GMMOS Group - a leading group of highly skilled companies with an international reputation established for over 25 years and offering a diverse range of services to four specialist industry sectors.

These include oil and gas, ship building and repair, marine chartering and heavy lifting. GMMOS Group is jointly owned by Abraaj Capital and Waha Capital.-TradeArabia News Service