Dune joint venture wins four year contract to bolster UAE OPV fleet
Damen has a history of building OPVs for the UAE. (Photo: Damen International)
The JV between Al Seer Marine and Damen International doubles down on a recent deal to increase the country’s offshore patrol vessel capabilities.
A joint venture (JV) between Al Seer Marine (a subsidiary of International Holding Company), and Damen International has won an AED1.3 billion (US$354 million) contract with the Tawazun Council of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The deal will see the JV, known as Dune, manufacture advanced offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) for the UAE over the next four years.
Dune was formed in 2022, primarily to focus on naval shipbuilding, but expanded in late 2024 to add commercial shipping to its remit.
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Al Seer Marine said the new OPVs would be equipped with modern naval technology and be capable of conducting a wide range of missions.
The vessels will be fit for everything from patrol, surveillance and interdiction missions in the UAE’s exclusive economic zone to the enforcement of maritime law, coast guard functions, search and rescue, and disaster relief.
Besides the shipbuilding function, the contract also includes a comprehensive integrated logistics support (ILS) package, including a programme of predictive maintenance and bespoke training. The ILS is designed to allow the vessels to remain mission-ready across the course of the contract.
“Tawazun’s confidence in the capabilities of our JV marks a significant milestone, showcasing the strength of our shipbuilding expertise combined with comprehensive fleet support,” said Guy Neivens, CEO of Al Seer Marine.
These new OPVs are in addition to the four Falaj-3 OPVs from Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) and Edge Group, the first of which was commissioned at this year’s NAVDEX event. The remaining three are due for delivery over the course of the next three years.
The Falaj-3 OPVs are being built based on the Fearless class patrol boats that are in service in the Republic of Singapore Navy and the Royal Brunei Navy.
Damen has built OPVs for the UAE Navy before. In partnership with ADSB, it was responsible for building the Ariala class, which is still in service, and is not scheduled to be retired until 2042, according to Shephard Defence Insight.
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