SUCCESS: (Seated from second left) Ting, Capt Salim, Ahmed, Prof Hans and other GCPI engineers posing for a group photograph after the award and certificate presentation.
BINTULU: Thirty-five Iraqi port engineers underwent a successful nine days theoretical, on-board training and sea trials recently.
Wazaf Trading and Shipbuilding Services (M) Sdn Bhd (WTS) managing director Ahmed S Shaban said the training was to familiarise them with the new vessels – Kirkuk and Ninawa which were purchased from Borneo Shipping & Timber Agencies Sdn Bhd (BSTA), a Malaysian shipbuilding company, part of the KTS Group of Companies.
These tugboats –Kirkuk and Ninawa costing approximately US$5 million each will be used for the Iraqi port operations to pull vessels as big as a 600,000 tonne oil tanker.
Speaking at the closing of the training at Parkcity Everly Hotel yesterday, he said they were proud of the success of the tugboats purchasing which was completed on schedule.
“On this very nice moment which we are proud of, for achieving what we consider as a small, but an important brick in building our beloved Iraq through providing the General Company for Ports of Iraq (GCPI) with these two tugboats Kirkuk and Nainawa to follow their two sisters Al-Fahya’a and Al-Ashaar in the process of development going on in the Iraqi ports,” said Ahmed. He said WTS confirms its eagerness to enhance the spirit of cooperation for providing the best of its capabilities in marine industries in all types and sizes, such as tugboats, dredgers, ships and boats from the best origins with highest specifications under the supervision of the most prominent classification societies.
“All this is for the sake of pushing forward the process of building and development in our country during this critical time of our history,” he added.
Meanwhile GCPI’s Maritime Navigational manager Captain Salim Gabbar Hussein hoped the knowledge will be used comprehensively by the Iraqi port engineers.
“I do hope similar training can be organised for the crew of Al-Fahya’a and Al-Ashaar in the near future,” he said.
BSTA general manager Ting Ngiik Ming on the other hand said the training was to provide the engineers on the insight and familiarisation on the operation and equipments for the two vessels.
He also hoped with the achievement of BSTA completing the tugboats on schedule would eventually give them an advantage and be a favourite shipbuilding company in Malaysia among foreign customers especially from Iraq.
“We have gained much valuable experience in the process and I feel confident that with our expertise and ability to deliver quality vessels on time, we will be receiving repeat orders from the satisfied customers,” said Ting.
“We are indeed honoured and privileged to be awarded the construction of the two units of powerful and sophisticated tugs for WTS for their GCPI operations,” he added.
Also present at the function was Professor Hans Christensen of MAN Company Denmark.
A total of 35 recipients received the award certificates for completing the training.
LOCAL ACHIEVEMENT: Ahmed presenting the award to Ting (second left) as Capt Salim looks on.