Damen Shipyards Group has delivered a new Shoalbuster 3209 to SAFEEN Group, a subsidiary of AD Ports Group. The vessel was named Al Mirfa, after a coastal community located in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi, in a ceremony that took place at Damen Shipyards Gorinchem in the Netherlands.

The primary purpose of the Al Mirfa will be buoy maintenance, a role for which the Shoalbuster 3209 is ideally suited given its standard specification. This includes its shallow draught, extensive unobstructed deck, a heavy-duty deck crane, waterfall winch and towing pins, stern roller and a FiFi1 fire-fighting system. Additional buoy clamps and chain stoppers have been added. The vessel will also be utilised for towing activities, with a bollard pull of over 45 tonnes, as well as other support activities both in the ports and offshore.

SAFEEN Group already operates a Damen Shoalbuster 2609 model that was delivered in 2016, and in 2019 the group took delivery of two Damen ASD Tugs 2411.

Damen Shipyards Group CEO Arnout Damen welcomed the SAFEEN Group delegation to Damen Shipyards Gorinchem for the ceremony and the vessel will shortly be on its way to the Arabian Gulf to start operations in early July. Damen’s service hub at Albwardy Damen in the UAE will provide SAFEEN with aftersales support.

Captain Ammar Al Shaiba, Acting CEO – Maritime Cluster, commented: “We are pleased to continue SAFEEN Group’s marine service fleet expansion with this new acquisition. Expanding on our buoy maintenance and towing capabilities, further enhances our ability to meet increased operational demands.”

“Over the past years the Shoalbuster series has been proven a well proven, multipurpose “workhorse” in the SAFEEN fleet. We are delighted to be supplying a second Shoalbuster to SAFEEN Group and are confident that it will give them many years of reliable service,” said Pascal Slingerland, Regional Sales Director Middle East for Damen Shipyards.