In April 2018, Saudi company Zamil Offshore Services concluded an agreement worth 480 million dollars with French shipyard CMN for the construction of 39 HSI32 interceptors for the Saudi Naval Forces. According to the agreement, 21 vessels are set to be built by CMN in Cherbourg, France, and the remaining 18 are to be assembled at the facilities of Zamil Offshore Services in Saudi Arabia.
CMN delivered the first two HSI32 Interceptors for the Royal Saudi Navy. The delivery ceremony took place July 24, 2019 at the shipyard in Cherbourg, Normandie. In addition, CMN is set to deliver three Combattante FS56 Fast Attack Craft (originally ordered on behalf of Lebanon).
Zamil Shipyards press release issued Sept. 22:
A key milestone in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) sovereign shipbuilding program for the Royal Saudi Navy Forces (RSNF), was successfully achieved in the presence of Zamil Board members. One of our Dammam Shipyards successfully installed the first keel plate for the First of Class (FoC) Naval vessels being built in Kingdom. Another momentous occasion for sovereign Naval shipbuilding capability.
Following the Board meeting, members inspected the Dammam Shipyard facilities and workshops that have over the past few months been especially mobilized for Naval shipbuilding. The Board also spent time talking to many of the growing team working on this prestigious program for RSNF.
In addition to our Naval shipbuilding pedigree, Zamil is currently building the 74th Commercial vessel whilst undertaking significant Ship and Rig repairs, upgrades, and conversions.
Another key milestone achieved this week as our MTU/ZF agency business goes from strength to strength. The first MTU engines coupled with ZF gearboxes arrived in one of our Dammam Shipyards for the first Naval vessel to be built in the Kingdome of Saudi Arabia (KSA) for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF). As part of building a sovereign Naval shipbuilding capability in KSA, it was another key milestone for Zamil MTU.
In addition, our MTU /ZF agency business has recently invested in workshop special tools, parts and equipment worth some 12 Million SAR, with further exciting capability investments and strategic roadshows planned in partnership with MTU Friedrichshafen, Germany.
Accordingly, members of Zamil Executive spent two days with senior MTU representatives in Germany working through and agreeing on actions for the next stages of growth for our sole MTU partnership across KSA. In doing so, the team witnessed MTU engines and ZF gearboxes in production for the RSNF Naval shipbuilding program that will eventually be delivered to one of our Dammam Shipyards for installation into the RSNF vessels being built.
