“At the time the UAE Navy elected to replace two frigates in its fleet with more advanced corvettes,” explains Johan Valentijn, Industrial Manager for Abu Dhabi MAR Shipyard. “Rather than scrap the two fine vessels, which were extraordinarily well built to military specs by Royal Schelde in Holland, it was decided that the frigates would both make superb private yachts with a very nice turn of speed.” But of course. “Abu Dhabi MAR acquired the large property of the UAE Coast Guard in Port Zayed, with many new buildings intact, in order to set up the new facility,” continues Valentijn. “It is fully operational now and our latest yachts are progressing nicely.” Abu Dhabi MAR, just like the emirate the company calls home, has announced itself in a truly impressive manner. The world of the private yacht has just changed.
With the company’s launch at the Monaco Yacht Show in 2008, MAR unveiled its plans for converting the two Dutch frigates into state-of-the-art and exceedingly luxurious marine cruisers, replacing their functional military fittings and weapons of war with plush accoutrements and sumptuous conveniences to match. “With a stylish superstructure re-design, new propulsion, a great deal of new outer and inner structural engineering, a grand luxury interior, and perfect yacht finish, we realised we could do the conversion in Abu Dhabi itself,” says Valentijn. Labelled the Swift141 and Swift135 (in reference to their length in metres) the first yachts from Abu Dhabi MAR are among the largest private yachts in the world.
With French shipbuilding specialists Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie (CMN) as shareholders, and PierreJean Design Studio behind the aesthetics, Abu Dhabi MAR retains world-class counsel in their quest to turn bleak military vessels into something altogether a little more refined. “Jacques Pierre-Jean and his team in Paris have a unique approach to yacht design - they are fearless!” says Valentijn. “They were asked to design the Swift141 and Swift135 to make maximum use of the original frigates’ narrow hulls. It takes very special skills to fit a great deal of the most attractive luxury accommodations, leisure areas, dining and entertainment, stowage, and quarters for a substantial crew, and still have the room required for masses of machinery, pumps, ducts, cables and pipes that support life aboard a large yacht, and make it totally enjoyable. PierreJean has created a marvellous exterior style, with a superstructure built in fine composites, and a gorgeous colourful interior to match any client’s desires.” Expected to hit the waves later this year, the Swift141 is almost complete with the Swift135 and other orders following quickly thereafter.
Converting old warships into the playpens of seabound billionaires is not the only raison d’être of Abu Dhabi MAR. As the newest shipyard in the Middle East with facilities to undertake maintenance, refurbishment, redesign and berthing operations for yachts of any size, the all round specialists have their work cut out with two new orders of 42m and 57m yachts as well. With capabilities to insure, broker, outfit, fabricate and dry-dock visiting yachts too, MAR is already being considered as a big league player despite its short history. Having been established in only 2007, perhaps the most telling indicator of MAR’s unwavering earnestness is the fact that in December 2008 the yachtbuilders put in a serious bid for a majority stake in Montenegro’s largest shipyard, Bijela. “I believe the Montenegro deal is off,” confirms Valentijn. “But Abu Dhabi MAR’s principals are currently negotiating for other acquisitions.”
In the quest to hoist itself onto the global platform as the ‘Monaco of the Middle East’, Abu Dhabi has a gem in the form of its latest shipbuilding residents. With their ‘limitless’ philosophy and wave-breaking efforts to further specialise the art of yacht building, the shipyard is plucky and unambiguous about its objectives. “We aim to build the best superyachts in the world, comparable to or better than the best American and European shipyards,” exclaims Valentijn. “I think it’s safe to say we’ve made a big name for ourselves in a very short time. You might even say we’ve built a heritage in just two years!”
CONTACT
Abu Dhabi MAR
+971 2 445 5551
info@abudhabimar.com
