Çiçek Shipyard clears the decks in readiness for a return to the shiprepair market

The Turkish shipbuilder Çiçek Shipyard is to return to the shiprepair market utilising its Panamax building dock at Tuzla Bay. The company has been concentrating on new ship construction since 2003 but with the downturn in this market, it has decided to broaden its activities so as to maintain employment for its skilled workforce and to maximise utilisation of its drydock and fitting out quays.

With an internal length of 225m and a width of 37.5m, the dock is capable of accommodating most Panamax vessels with ease. Furthermore, the availability of a 300 tonne gantry crane on the dock will enable Çiçek to undertake major conversion projects as well as more routine repairs and drydockings.

In early May, the 58,000dwt bulk carrier Kaptan Arif Bayraktar was floated out of the drydock, clearing the way for this facility to switch to shiprepair. However the company will continue to construct newbuildings in its yard utilising two slipways, one capable of accommodating ships up to 26.000 dwt and the other suited to the construction of smaller, more specialised vessels up to 5,000 dwt.

Çiçek has already won its first shiprepair contact with the 35,795 dwt Italian chemical tanker Maritea expected to arrive in Tuzla on 28 May 2010. Owned by Carichi Liquidi Societa Armatoriale (Calisa), part of the Novella Group, she will undergo an intermediate survey together with some general maintenance work.

Berke Çiçek, Vice President of Çiçek Shipyard, explains that Maritea will provide the company with a perfect start:

"Çiçek has a long history of constructing chemical tankers ranging in size from 3,100dwt up to 40,000dwt. Many were repeat orders from the same owners, including two 3,100dwt chemical tankers for the Novella Group, both of which are now operating successfully in the bunker trades.

"Maritea will utilise our specialist skills in this sector and provide an excellent reference when seeking further contracts."

-ends-

Notes to Editors:

Downloadable photographs to accompany the press release are available at http://www.dunelmpr.co.uk/Cicek-Photogallery.htm. The caption for all photographs reads:

"In early May, the 58,000dwt bulk carrier newbuilding Kaptan Arif Bayraktar was floated out of Çiçek's drydock at Tuzla Bay, clearing the way for this facility to be used for shiprepair and conversion work."