Al Mutawa Marine Works is a national corporation of Abu Dhabi, formed with the mission to provide highly specialised technical services to the offshore oil and gas industry. Sales and Business Development Manager Jehad Abbas spoke to Hannah Barnett about how the company continues to thrive.
Over the last four and a half decades, Al Mutawa Marine Works has grown and developed into a truly specialised enterprise. The company provides a range of services for the offshore oil and gas industry to an exceptionally high standard.
“We have had a good track record providing long-term services to clients such as ADNOC, NPCC, NMDC and KOC,” said Jehad Abbas, Sales and Business Development Manager. “We number 750 employees and are also proud members of the International Marine Contractor Association (IMCA).”
Al Mutawa Marine Works was formed in 1978 in Abu Dhabi and continues
to operate there, with a head office in Musaffah, in the industrial area of the city
The company has grown, organically but significantly, over the years. Since starting with one vessel, the Al Mutawa Marine Works fleet now consists of 28 vessels, and the business is expecting to incorporate four more newbuilds by mid-2025.
Al Mutawa Marine Works has an impressive turnover of $150 million, the equivalent of half a billion in Dirhams. Operations are spread across two sites, with one large main jetty area of 3,200 square metres and a sprawling workshop of 2,400 square metres.
A varied offering
Part of the strength of Al Mutawa Marine Works comes from the diversity of its fleet.
“We already have nine offshore support vessels,” said Mr Abbas. “We have several for maintenance, including an external firefighting system, and three diving support vessels. We also have superior landing crafts and are expecting to receive two more in 2025. We have crew boats, anchor handling supply vessels and anchor handling tugs.”
Besides this strong fleet, the company also stands out from its competitors thanks to its range of diving facilities.
Services offered include installation and maintenance of subsea pipelines, fuel structure inspections and installations of new conductor guides for wellhead towers. The company also provides subsea excavation, alongside demolition and removal services for subsea pipelines and offshore structures. General diving services including seabed surveys, debris clearing and assisting in rig moves
“We have lots of activity with diving,” Mr Abbas explained, “and we normally hire the vessels for the long-term. For each project, it takes three to four years, sometimes up to five years. As well as the vessels, we can provide the crews and the services.”
Al Mutawa Marine Works carries out all diving operations in compliance with IMCA guidelines. The company also maintains a certified Quality Management System wherein all diving activities are in compliance with the requirements of ISO 9001:2015.
The company also runs a successful training centre, which promises to keep customers up to date with the latest technology, courses and certificates required by the sector. As well as diving courses, the training centre also offers firefighting, and health and safety workshops.
“Our main clients, like ADNOC or NPCC, want to hire our vessels, but they also need their crew to be up to date with the latest certifications,”
Mr Abbas added. “So, in this case, we give these crews the option to come and take courses at our training centre.”
Strong partnerships
Al Mutawa Marine Works is the kind of company that is available to help its customers on a 24/7 basis. “Sometimes something unpredictable happens, for example a repair is needed,” said Mr Abbas. “Our customers know they can always contact us at any time of day or night. We are always there.”
“Sometimes something unpredictable happens, for example a repair is needed... Our customers know they can always contact us at any time of day or night. We are always there.”
Sales and Business Development Manager Jehad Abbas
“The market is up and down,”...“Oil prices fluctuate all the time, especially in this region. But I enjoy this job because I like dealing with different types of people, from different cultures. This has allowed me to develop excellent skills in areas like customer service, communication, problem-solving and negotiation. This all helps with the growth of the company.”
Because each vessel requires so many parts, the company relies on a vast network of close to 80 suppliers. Building strong relationships is therefore vital.
“I communicate with our suppliers all the time,” said Mr Abbas. “It is all about maintaining long-term business relationships. We ask them to send us a current price list with everything they are carrying . We like to keep stock on the safe side, because sometimes urgent equipment is needed.
“Normally, for each item we buy in, we also buy at least one in stock. For example, if a customer needs one gasket, we buy two or three, because the same engine will exist on another vessel. We still run out of stock sometimes, so we always have a reference about which supplier carries which part, so we know who can help us,”
The company also encourages face-to-face interactions through the supply chain, including visits to each other’s sites or networking opportunities at exhibitions, to keep abreast of any new developments.
This close dialogue is something which contributes to Al Mutawa Marine Works’ strong and proven ability to understand the needs of its customers.
“We are always working towards those needs and we can quickly respond to ` any changing requirements,” Mr Abbas explained. “If there is any problem, we strive to understand the problem and to come back with a solution we can all agree on.”
By 2026, the company aims to grow the fleet to 36 vessels which will be complimented by expansion into Kuwait and Qatar. However, this expansion comes with its own challenges, many of them bureaucratic.
“There is a lot of paperwork required to go to any new market,” said Mr Abbas . “We must start with a registration and pre-qualification process, just to have an office there. So, we are working on that, but we are still planning to expand, because those are two significant markets.”
For Mr Abbas, dealing with a diverse range of challenges is a key part of what makes life at Al Mutawa Marine Works so exciting.
“The market is up and down,” he concluded. “Oil prices fluctuate all the time, especially in this region. But I enjoy this job because I like dealing with different types of people, from different cultures. This has allowed me to develop excellent skills in areas like customer service, communication, problem-solving and negotiation. This all helps with the growth of the company.” n
