The Spanish shipbuilder Navantia and Zamil Shipyard have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in future naval projects in Saudi Arabia.
Navantia is one of the international defence companies with the largest product portfolio, ranging from surface ships and submarines to digital services. Its commitment towards the Kingdom’s plan ‘Vision 2030’ has gone another step forward through specific agreements such as the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) recently signed with Zamil Shipyard, a division of Zamil Offshore Service Company located in Dammam Port. This agreement is focused on collaboration in future naval shipbuilding programs in the Kingdom and in other areas such as ship repairs, conversions or sustainment.
Navantia has launched other initiatives in the Kingdom to boost industrial cooperation in the area of Combat System integration, a highly technological area for which Navantia created a Joint Venture with SAMI (Saudi Arabia Military Industries) to develop, integrate and market the first Saudi Combat System: HAZEM. The already fully operational company, called SAMI-Navantia, was awarded a significant contract in September 2019 for the supply and integration of the combat system of the five Avante 2200 corvettes currently under construction for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces.
SAMI Navantia employs more than 30 Saudi people. The Saudi engineers with direct participation in the Avante 2200 Corvettes project are deployed in Spain during the duration of the program and will become the backbone of the ship’s support in the Kingdom. The capability and skills developed in the Avante program will benefit also the future naval projects of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, as well as the international programs where both companies are already cooperating.
Additionally, Navantia is discussing cooperation with companies in the Kingdom aimed at achieving the necessary self-sufficiency in Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) of vessels and the development of a solid shipbuilding ecosystem in Saudi Arabia.
NAVANTIA is a world reference in the design, building and integration of highly technological state-of-the-art war ships for the Spanish Navy, which makes it a strategic company, and for the international market. Its activities include the design and manufacture of Integrated Platform Management Systems, Fire Control Systems, Command and Control systems, Propulsion Plants and through life support for all its products. NAVANTIA has also taken steps towards diversification and has become a relevant actor in the area of offshore wind power.
Zamil Offshore Service Company has a division for shipbuilding and ship repair encompassing the management of three strategically located shipyards, two in the Arabian Gulf area located at Dammam Port and the third shipyard located in the Red Sea at Jeddah Islamic Port.
Zamil shipyard started the shipbuilding business in 2002 by utilizing the facilities in Dammam port and succeeded to contract and deliver over fifty (50) vessels, the majority of such are working in Saudi waters.
Zamil shipyard has the construction capacity of approximately 10,000 MT of steel per year and is actively increasing capacity year on year.
Zamil Offshore Services Company decided in 2010 to invest in a new shipbuilding and ship repair facility adjacent to the older shipyard in King Abdul - Aziz Port, Dammam, Saudi Arabia with a total area of 230,000 m² with a quayside length of 700 meters.
The shipyard is fully integrated with all necessary facilities for efficient shipbuilding, ship repair, and rig repair activities.
