Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) has celebrated 30 years as a regional leader in advanced naval shipbuilding. The 30th anniversary was marked with a celebration held at ADSB’s shipyard in Abu Dhabi, attended by senior UAE Navy and Kuwait Naval Forces officials, EDGE Group leadership, key partners, and other dignitaries from across the region.

The milestone anniversary marks a period of exceptional achievement, with ADSB now executing the region’s largest naval export contracts, delivering advanced UAE-designed vessels, and operating one of the most sophisticated shipyards in the Middle East.

During the event, ADSB launched the first Al-Dorra-class 62-metre vessel, AL NOUKHITHA, under a record-breaking deal subcontracted by EDGE Group to supply advanced missile boats to the Kuwait Ministry of Defence - the largest naval export in the region’s history.

Khaled Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADSB, said: “ADSB represents one of the UAE's greatest industrial achievements. Established just 25 years into the foundation of our nation, ADSB now competes and delivers at the highest level on the global stage. The growth we have witnessed over the past few years has been extraordinary - record revenues, landmark international contracts, and the commissioning of ships designed and built entirely in the UAE.”

“This is a story of national vision and unwavering support from the UAE’s leadership to building sovereign capabilities that will serve our nation for generations to come,” he added.

Established in 1995, ADSB began as a maintenance, repair, and overhaul provider for the UAE Navy before progressively developing its shipbuilding capabilities. From its first landing craft in 2001 to the landmark Baynunah corvette programme and its first export contract with the Royal Navy of Oman, ADSB steadily built its reputation as a reliable and capable shipbuilder. Today, the company operates one of the region’s most advanced shipyards, spanning 330,000 square metres with a workforce of approximately 1,500 personnel, delivering complex naval programmes to customers across the Middle East and beyond.

David Massey, CEO of ADSB, said: “When I joined six years ago, ADSB was an organisation with a rich history and a very exciting future ahead of it. What has unfolded since then has exceeded our expectations. With the strongest order book in our history and a growing pipeline spanning multiple continents, we are now also developing our own naval platforms through our dedicated technology office, marking a new era for ADSB. We are better positioned than ever to continue building on what is shaping up to be a truly remarkable chapter for ADSB.”

ADSB has recently secured several landmark contracts representing the company’s largest and most complex programmes to date, including a fleet of 71-metre corvettes for the Angolan Navy. Combined with the recent commissioning of the first of the FALAJ 3 fleet into the UAE Navy, these programmes demonstrate ADSB's capability and growing reputation as a trusted partner to naval forces around the world.

Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) is the regional leader in the new build, repair, maintenance, refit and conversion of naval and commercial vessels, and runs one of the most advanced shipyards in the region with a successful track record spanning almost a quarter of a century. Part of the Platforms & Systems cluster of EDGE, ADSB plays a key role in increasing the UAE’s naval defence capabilities and in keeping the UAE’s maritime fleet in prime operational condition.

The company is also involved in the civilian energy sector, providing fabrication, maintenance and refurbishment services for static offshore energy infrastructure. As an ambitious market leader, ADSB is striving to make a global impact and shape the future of the industry by delivering innovative and dependable solutions that bring added value to clients and other stakeholders, both military and civilian.

Launched in November 2019, the UAE’s EDGE is one of the world’s leading advanced technology groups. With a focus on the adoption of 4IR technologies, EDGE is driving the development of sovereign capabilities for global export and for the preservation of national security, working with front-line operators, international partners, and adopting advanced technologies such as autonomous capabilities, cyber-physical systems, advanced propulsion systems, robotics and smart materials.

Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, capital of the UAE, EDGE consolidates more than 35 entities into five core clusters: Platforms & Systems, Missiles & Weapons, Space & Cyber Technologies, Technologies & Industrialisation, and Homeland Security.