For more than a quarter of a century, Abu Dhabi-based GAC Marine, part of the GAC Group, has provided a comprehensive range of marine transportation and associated engineering services to the offshore and shipping industry in the Gulf in general, and Abu Dhabi in particular.
Operating a fleet of around 40 marine craft including anchor handling tugs, supply vessels, utility boats, landing craft, tugs, barges and a jack-up barge, GAC Marine can count leading oil, construction and diving companies in the Gulf, such as NPCC, ETPM, Hyundai, Saipem, Maersk, IPC, Zadco, Bunduq, Total and Subtec, as satisfied clients.
The company's vessels can be tailored to clients' needs. For instance, they can be equipped with A-Frames, additional workshop space, accommodation and cranes. This activity is undertaken at GAC Marine's Marine Base in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi, where an engineering department and modern, fully equipped workshop also offers dry-docking, re-engineering and fabrication support to the entire fleet.
The Marine Base also constructs offshore supply vessels, with work currently taking on two new anchor handling tugs.
For the offshore industry, the company's craft have been involved principally in the transportation of pipes and various steel structures as well as rig moves and anchor handling, both in the Gulf and offshore India. Since 1986, GAC Marine has operated a weekly shuttle service for the transport of construction material from Abu Dhabi Freeport to Das, Mubarraz and Zirku Islands.
The company is actively involved in the transportation of project cargo for construction projects in the UAE, having already worked on the development of Umm Al Nar power and desalination plant, the third liquefied natural gas (LNG) train project at Das Island for ADGAS and, more recently, the transportation of 72 evaporator modules and brine heaters for Al Taweelah 'B' desalination plant. GAC craft and in-house expertise played a key part in the successful execution of these projects.
GAC Marine's expertise is not only felt in the Gulf and India, however. Last July the company mobilised two anchor handling tug/supply vessels, one 130' crew/supply vessel and one 180' flat top barge to the Caspian Sea, contracted for a long-term charter to support Dragon Oil's drilling operation in Turkmenistan.
Quality, health, safety and protection of the environment are at the forefront of GAC Marine's tenets, and, operating under a combined QAHSEMS manual, the company has been certified with ISO 9002, ISM and recommended for the ISO 14001 certification.
The GAC Group is a global leader in shipping and transport services, operating with its own offices in the Middle East, the Eastern Mediterranean, Indian subcontinent, South East Asia, the Far East, West Africa, South Africa and Poland.
