FIRST UAE COMPANY TO REGISTER FLEET WITH THE FIRST CLASSIFICATION SOCIETY IN THE UAE AND THE ARAB REGION
Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) has moved its fleet of tug boats operated by its subsidiary ADPC Marine Services to the UAE’s classification society TASNEEF.
TASNEEF was established in 2012 as the very first classification society in the United Arab Emirates as well as in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region and Arab world. TASNEEF is responsible for issuing mandatory certificates that are required internationally to be provided by ships, which are important to ensures the safety as well as to ensure the protection of the environment in accordance with SOLAS (International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea), and MARPOL (the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships).
The new contracts signed by Hamad Al Maghrabi, General Manager ADPC Marine Services, and COO of TASNEEF Eng. Omar Abu Omar, will give the classification society the authority to inspect and confirm the vessels adherence to international accredited technical standards. The classification society will carry out regular surveys of the vessels, to ensure continuing compliance.
Hamad Al Maghrabi and Eng. Omar Abu Omar, accompanied by Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, CEO ADPC and Rashed Mohamed Al Hebsi, CEO TASNEEF, signed the contracts, which cover each vessel for five years.
Hamad Al Maghrabi said: “ADPC Marine Services works to deliver professional, timely and safe integrated marine services to all users of our ports. We are keen to support TASNEEF and are confident that the company will provide the services and expertise that we need to a very high standard.”
“TASNEEF is like ADPC, a local and yet ambitious customer focused company meeting international standards and we are delighted to be its first UAE maritime customer”, he added.
Commenting on the signing, Eng. Rashed Al Hebsi, CEO TASNEEF expressed his happiness in this occasion by saying: “we are very proud and appreciative for the valuable trust that was given to ADPC by classifying its fleet by the National body. This will contribute to the refinement of national experiences and will open the gate for international cooperation.” He also added: “we wish for other national companies to follow the same step as ADPC, by registering and classifying their ships in the UAE. Doing that will enhance the capability of UAE fleets and will be of its benefit in the international forums and organizations”
In the meantime, Omar stated: “this is one of the steps that TASNEEF has taken in order to build a strong base in the UAE, to support TASNEEF’s launching, regionally and internationally”
He also added: “it is an honor for us that TASNEEF has the capability and qualification to provide the best classification services, and compete, in high quality, with international classification agencies that operated within the country”
ADPC Marine Services provides vessel traffic services, towage, pilotage, mooring, and a full range of ancillary marine services to vessels visiting Abu Dhabi’s ports.
The company plans to increase its tug fleet in the near future and has expressed its intention to register any additional vessels with TASNEEF if and when appropriate.
The move reflects the growth of the maritime sector in the Middle East which is already an important import/export region and a key hub for the movement of goods.
Industry analysts predict that the South – South (Asia, Intra Asia – Middle East) trade shift from a predominantly South – North trade balance (Asia to Europe) will transform the industry over next 20 years – the result being that the Middle East will be positioned as one of top 20 global trade lanes of the world.