Qatar Luxury Yacht Charter & Superyacht News

Qatari shipbuilder, Nakilat Damen Shipyards Qatar (NDSQ), has signed a contract to build a new 69-metre fast luxury mega yacht. The brand new 69m Nakilat Damen Yacht will be entirely constructed in Qatar.

New 69m Nakilat Damen Fast Luxury Mega Yacht to be based on the proven axe-bow hull of Damen’s 67m Sea-Axe yacht support vessel Garcon shown above

HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Fahd Al Thani, State Minister, and Muhammad Ghannam, Chairman of NDSQ, signed the contract for the 69m Nakilat Damen superyacht at a ceremony held in Doha, Qatar, on March 19.

The customized 69m Nakilat Damen yacht will be built at Qatar’s state-of-the-art Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard by NDSQ, the shipbuilding joint venture between Qatari shipping company Nakilat and Dutch shipbuilding group Damen Shipyards.

Based on the proven axe-bow hull of Damen’s 67m Sea-Axe navy, coastguard and yacht support vessels, the vessel will be equipped with the latest technology and will reach speeds of up 20 knots.

The signing ceremony has announced NDSQ’s entry into the superyacht new-build market, with the company ready to accommodate the world’s biggest luxury vessels. NDSQ’s facilities at Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard include a 180m long x 70m wide x 50m high hall for the finishing and refit of high-value vessels, featuring two separate, fully climate-controlled bays.

The signing of the 69m Nakilat Damen fast luxury yacht expands the list of milestone achievements recently publicized by NDSQ. In January NDSQ inaugurated the 140m barge Al Ghatroushah, the largest vessel ever to have been constructed in Qatar. NDSQ also launched six built-in-Qatar mooring boats in November 2012 and is working on a further 13 vessels destined for use at Qatar’s Port of Mesaieed.

Upon the occasion of the signing ceremony, HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Fahd Al Thani said: “We are very proud of this great achievement, which represents a key milestone in HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani’s Qatar National Vision 2030. Our fully integrated marine industry will play a major role in the future development of Qatar and we are delighted to be placing this order for the first vessel of this type to be built in Qatar, for Qatar.”

Muhammad Ghannam commented: “We are honored to be given this opportunity to deliver this landmark yacht project in Qatar. NDSQ continues to prove Qatar’s shipbuilding capabilities while Nakilat, Damen and NDSQ are all fully committed to realizing His Highness’s vision for world-class shipbuilding in Qatar.”

Kommer Damen, Chairman of Damen Shipyards Group, said: “We are proud of our partnership with Nakilat and we intend to supply all the necessary support and knowhow for NDSQ to become a premier shipbuilder for all vessel types.”

NDSQ is a joint venture between Nakilat and Dutch shipbuilder Damen and is based at Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard in Ras Laffan, Qatar. NDSQ began operations in 2010 and builds ships in steel, aluminum and fiber reinforced plastic (FRP), up to 170m in length. In addition to the hall dedicated to the finishing and refit of high-value vessels, NDSQ’s facilities include a construction hall of 270m long x 65m wide; a 180m-long assembly hall consisting of four bays; a 400m-long outfitting pier equipped with a 30-tonne crane; a load-out and recovery barge with a lift capacity of 10,500 tonnes; workshops, stores and other support facilities.

Nakilat is a Qatari marine company providing the critical transportation link in Qatar’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply chain, overseeing the activities of the country’s world-class shipyard, and assisting vessels in Qatari waters. Established in 2004 as a joint stock company — owned 50 per cent by its founding shareholders and 50 per cent by the public — Nakilat has the largest LNG shipping fleet in the world, comprising 54 LNG vessels.

Damen Shipyards Group was established in 1927 and operates more than 50 shipyards, repair yards and related companies worldwide. Damen employs over 7,000 people in 35 countries, has delivered over 5,000 vessels since 1969 and delivers some 150 vessels annually to worldwide customers. Based on its unique, standardized ship-design concept and short delivery times, Damen is able to guarantee consistent quality.