Source : WAM
Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) recently celebrated 30 years as a leading force in advanced naval shipbuilding in the Middle East. The milestone event, held at ADSB’s shipyard in Abu Dhabi, was attended by senior officials from the UAE Navy and Kuwait Naval Forces, EDGE Group leadership, key partners, and distinguished guests from across the region.
The 30th anniversary reflects ADSB’s remarkable achievements, including executing the region’s largest naval export contracts, delivering cutting-edge UAE-designed vessels, and operating one of the most sophisticated shipyards in the Middle East.
During the celebration, ADSB launched the first Al-Dorra-class 62-metre vessel, AL NOUKHITHA, under a record-breaking subcontract awarded by EDGE Group to supply advanced missile boats to the Kuwait Ministry of Defence — marking the largest naval export in the region’s history.
“ADSB represents one of the UAE’s greatest industrial achievements. Established just 25 years into the foundation of our nation, ADSB now competes and delivers at the highest level on the global stage,” said Khaled Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADSB.
He added, “The growth we have witnessed over the past few years has been extraordinary – record revenues, landmark international contracts, and the commissioning of ships designed and built entirely in the UAE. This is a story of national vision and unwavering support from the UAE’s leadership to building sovereign capabilities that will serve our nation for generations to come.”
Established in 1995, ADSB began as a maintenance, repair, and overhaul provider for the UAE Navy before progressively advancing into full-scale shipbuilding. From delivering its first landing craft in 2001 to the Baynunah corvette programme and its first export contract with the Royal Navy of Oman, ADSB steadily built a reputation as a reliable and capable naval shipbuilder.
Today, ADSB operates one of the region’s most advanced shipyards, spanning 330,000 square metres and employing around 1,500 personnel, delivering complex naval programmes to customers across the Middle East and beyond.
David Massey, CEO of ADSB, said, “When I joined six years ago, ADSB was an organisation with a rich history and a very exciting future ahead of it. What has unfolded since then has exceeded our expectations. With the strongest order book in our history and a growing pipeline spanning multiple continents, we are now also developing our own naval platforms through our dedicated technology office, marking a new era for ADSB. We are better positioned than ever to continue building on what is shaping up to be a truly remarkable chapter for ADSB.”
ADSB has recently secured several landmark contracts, including a fleet of 71-metre corvettes for the Angolan Navy — the company’s largest and most complex programmes to date. Alongside the commissioning of the first FALAJ 3 fleet into the UAE Navy, these initiatives demonstrate ADSB’s capabilities and its growing reputation as a trusted partner to naval forces worldwide.
