Rolls-Royce (www.rolls-royce.com) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UAE-based Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) to provide naval ship-building, repair and refit activities across the Gulf region.

The agreement will include fixed rates for on-site service attendance and turn-key repair projects in the Rolls-Royce Dubai workshop.

It will also include the provision of spares, technical and commercial support for large tenders, and maintenance training of ADSB personnel for Rolls-Royce water-jet propulsion units.

Rolls-Royce vice-president Leo Pantazopoulos said: “By working with ADSB, located in the heart of the Gulf, we are strengthening our ability to give regional government and commercial customers access to skilled engineers and ‘state of the art ’facilities, allowing them to repair and overhaul their ships efficiently and with minimum down-time.

“This agreement creates a strong foundation for a meaningful partnership between our two companies.”

The contract extends an existing relationship between Rolls-Royce, ADSB and the UAE Navy for both new builds and retrofits, and it could lead to the development of advanced-technology products, such as equipment health monitoring, as well as remote and autonomous vessels.

In the past year, Rolls-Royce has secured has secured a number of water-jet spares, services and upgrade contracts. This MoU will pave the way for more opportunities, in particular retrofit projects.