Mega marine delivery: 12,200 tons and one month at sea

The first shipment for one of the main components of the King Salman International Complex for Maritime Industries and Services Project was delivered safely to the project site recently on a 233-meter cargo ship. Some 17 platform blocks weighing a total of 12,200 tons (that required approximately 15 months of fabrication) completed their one-month journey by sea. 

The Maritime Complex is a world class facility that will provide — for the first time in the Kingdom — offshore fabrication, ship building, and maintenance and repair facilities. It is set to compete globally and provide an unprecedented mix of products and services in the region. This is in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 to diversify and build local manufacturing and design capabilities. 

The newly arrived shipment will form an integral part of the Maritime Complex’s innovative Shiplift and Transfer System facility, which provides a modern method of launching or receiving ships by docking and undocking a range of vessels at all states of the tide. Aramco’s Project Management Team is overseeing the design and manufacture of the highly sophisticated system, which will operate with zero carbon emissions. 

Increasing capacity

The Maritime Complex is in Ras Al-Khair Industrial City on the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia, 80 km north of Jubail Industrial City. The cargo ship carrying components for the Shiplift facility was towed and escorted by Ras Al-Khair Port Authority’s tug boats and safely berthed to one of the newly constructed wharfs for unloading. 

Upon completion of the Shiplift system assembly at its offshore location, it will have the capacity to lift marine vessels up to 25,000 tons, which makes it one of the most capable systems in the world. 

The remaining major components will be delivered in two separate shipments.

Senior project manager of Aramco’s Maintenance and Support Vessels Division, Ahmed Al Harkan, explained: “The King Salman International Complex for Maritime Industries and Services Project is setting a heavy-lifting record that a ship with a length of 245 meters and weight up to 25,000 tons can be lifted from the marine offshore side and brought onshore. The facility is located at the Maintenance and Repair area of the Maritime Complex, and it will support the repair of 116 vessels and new build of 25 offshore supporting vessels.”

As is usual for Aramco operations, safety is prioritized at all times – provisions are even made in case of power cuts or breakdown. The project team also utilized a new technology to conduct a bathymetric survey to measure the depth of the seabed and to map underwater features to ensure safe transportation and delivery.

Caption for top photo: An aerial view of the shipment of one of the primary components of the Shiplift and Transfer System at Ras Al-Khair.