CARENA, a subsidiary of Bolloré that operates the largest ship repair yard in West Africa, strengthens its operational capabilities with the acquisition of a third dock, a “rare product” finally acquired after several years of research.
The dock is a floating structure that allows ships to leave the water before carrying out maintenance operations. “We must first sink the dock by filling its holds, position the floating ship above, then, emptying the compartments of the dock, bring it up and the ship with him” explained Arnaud Feger, Director General of CARENA, at the ceremony of official presentation of the new equipment this March 28 in Abidjan.
“For a shipyard like CARENA, he notes, a floating dock is the essential tool for its activity because we can not offer all the repairs or the complete maintenance of the ships without imagining to put them dry “. “It’s a promise of future prosperity” after “years of research in Asia, Europe, …”, noted in a written message Alain Tessandier, representing the Sofia group, another key shareholder CARENA.
With a length of 175 meters and a width of 26 meters, this third and largest CARENA dock maneuver ships weighing up to 10,800 tons and consolidates its positioning on the continent. The company is expanding its capacity and can receive larger buildings on its facilities. “(…) this new dock doubles our dry docking area and allows us to increase by more than 40% our capacity to accommodate at the same time ships in fairing”, or up to 20 ships the boss of the company.
The CARENA thus becomes the “only shipyard in Africa to have three docks, to have the competence to handle the most advanced engines on the spot,” said Olivier de Noray, general manager of Bolloré Port.
But beyond the company, this tool will benefit a set of subcontractors and should attract new owners to the ports of Abidjan, reassured to have a shipyard capable of ensuring the maintenance needs of larger ships.
The commissioning of the equipment will lead to new recruitments in the ship repair business, in addition to the 1,240 jobs that the company has in a dozen trades, ranging from boilermaking to industrial mechanics and naval through electricity, piping, sandblasting or anti-corrosion paint.
With a cost of 5 billion CFA francs, or 7.62 million euros, this new dock is the latest in a series of CARENA acquisitions that is increasing investments to strengthen its competitiveness. Two new tower cranes, a new floating crane with larger lifting capacities, a new paint shop, among others, have strengthened its facilities.
Created in 1953, the CARENA shipyard employs a thousand daily employees. It generates tens of millions of euros of turnover per year, 36 million euros according to a presentation document of the port of Abidjan.
