Bahrain-based Arabian Ship Repair Yard (Asry) has won the 'Shipyard of the Year' award at the prestigious Lloyds List Middle East and Indian Sub-Continent Award ceremony held in Dubai.

The award recognises a ship yard that has consistently met the needs of its customers and is judged on its ability to offer cost effective and quality services while maintaining  the highest standards of safety.

'Asry is not just one of the Middle East’s leading repairers but a world leader. Over the last few years we have steadily built upon our reputation within the industry by enhancing our service delivery and quality of product,' remarked Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa, chairman of the board of Asry.

'This has led to increased profitability and now the recognition by the industry’s peers that Asry is the shipyard of the year. Asry is committed to continue to strive for excellence in all aspects of our work,' Shaikh Daij noted.

The award, he said, was timely recognition for Asry who are currently celebrating their 35th anniversary.
 
Asry has responded to the challenging market conditions by trimming costs appreciably across the board, instigating a new workers’ initiative of suggesting cost savings measures within the yard, while at the same time increasing its global and regional marketing activities in a move to get closer to its customers, both existing and new, and understanding their fast changing requirements.
 
“Asry has an exciting yard expansion program underway which will see them entering into operation of a new 1,380m repair quay wall at the end of 2011, as well as a large new offshore fabrication area and recently the fabrication of leading edge floating Power Barges for the developing world with specialist energy company Centrax,” added Shaikh Daij.

To help ship owners, operators and managers in a time of difficult market conditions Asry has developed a flexible approach to both payment terms, while at the same time being highly flexible with regard to dock availability.

In early 2011, when a long term Greek owner, a leading operator of VLCCs, had a number of requirements for the docking of large tankers, the trouble was that the yard’s 500,000 dwt graving dock was fully booked!

With some judicious re-scheduling and moving around of vessels, the Greek owner’s docking requirements were met, much to his delight, while at the same time not inconveniencing other owners repairing in the yard at the same time, he added.

According to Asry, safety and security has always been a byword at the shipping yard. At the end of 2010 the company became the first ship repair yard in the Middle East region to be accredited with two ISO security certificates: ISO 28000 (Certificate in Security Management Systems for Supply Chains) and ISO 20858 (Certificate in Marine Port Facility Security Assessment and Security Plan Development).

To further reinforce risk prevention within the shipyard , ASRY has in-house safety training programmes for its workers, which will lead to the issuing of a ‘Safety Passport’ for workers in repair yards which is a pioneering first for the Middle East.

'For 35 years Asry has built a global  reputation for quality, cost effective and efficient service delivery,' said CEO Chris Potter.

“This award in our 35th year is the result of a team effort and is a badge of honour for all the workers in our yard in Bahrain to wear with pride,' he added.-TradeArabia News Service