Gemak diversification bears fruit
Turkey's Gemak Shipyard is thwarting recession with the diversification into specialist ship repair Speaking to Shipping World & Shipbuilder at the Posidonia exhibition in Athens this week, Everen Usakli, regional manager for the Tuzla-based shipyard, said that demand for shiprepair work at Turkish shipyards is increasing with more than 40% of bookings arriving from international shipowners. 'Turkey is fast becoming a major shiprepair hub,' he said.The Gemak Shipyard, which since 1985 has built up a solid reputation for newbuildings, having built some 57 vessels, is currently converting two 5000dwt general cargo sister s into CO2 carriers. The five-month projects will also see the yard construct specialist CO2 containment tanks.However, whilst newbuilding orders are scarce, it is the specialist repair of dredgers that the shipyard intends to carve a niche.The 16 895dwt trailing suction hopper James Cook has just left the yard following a tranche of work that included 250t of steel renewal. Another Jan De Nul-owned dredger, Kaishuu, and the DEME-owned Pear River are others to have undergone similar works.Earlier this year, Gemak Shipyard extended its graving dock to 300m in length to attract shipowners of Suezmax sized tonnage.Source: IMAREST
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