Providing its customers with the best personal solutions, ARES Shipyard is on the path to become the Turkish shipbuilding industry’s rising star, writes ARES Shipyard Deputy General Manager Ö.Utku ALANÇ
These principles have resulted in delivering more than 100 vessels of varying sizes to date including Turkey, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Qatar, Nigeria, Bahrain, Tanzania, Georgia, Turkmenistan and soon Oman. Our facilities are located in the Antalya Free Zone on the Mediterranean shore and comprise of four factories with a combined enclosed production area of 30 thousand square meters. As well as construction facilities for both metal and composite hulls and superstructures, we have also modern offices and training classrooms for the support of our visiting clients. ARES is entitled to quality management system certificates of ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001, military craft production license and NATO level security clearance granted by the Turkish MoD.
Our fields of activity and target markets include domestic and foreign government entities and state & private economic enterprises. Our product range consists of naval craft, patrol boats, utility & support vessels, passenger and pleasure craft. Once anyone views our product range, it is our distinctive design solutions that excite attention. Young Turkish engineers have been realizing these solutions at ARES. We are continuously improving our design portfolio with the effort of increased availability through our strategic partnerships e.g. BMT and Rolls Royce.
Another major distinction of ARES among others beyond shipbuilding is that we have an in-house quality-certified Integrated Logistics Support Department. We do not end up our relationship with our customers following delivery process. We always take life cycle support into consideration beginning from the concept design phase. We are backed by an energetic ILS team that engages customers throughout the life-cycle of the vessel’s development and deployment, from the initial contact, through delivery and implementation into service, to support throughout the vessel’s operational life. We work round-the-clock in order to immediately intervene in the problems of our clients. Briefly, ARES stands for problem-free and untroubled life cycle for its vessels. Therefore today, ARES is probably the only shipbuilder in the world which can equip its vessels with 20 years hull warranty without hesitation.
We have extensive know-how in aluminum and advanced composite boat production as being the only military boat builder in Turkey and one of the most capable and largest in Europe utilizing full vacuum infusion technology with use of epoxy resin for advanced composite construction. Of course, we’ve made significant investments to gain this capability on fully automated infusion machinery, equipment and skilled personnel. This hi-tech capability has given us higher endurance, reliable hulls and superstructures with zero defect, very competitive production and delivery schedules; which are quite rare in global naval shipbuilding industry.
To underline that ARES is steering the correct course, we were recognized by the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) as the country’s fastest-growing company over the last five years. We are currently the largest ship exporter of Turkish Republic with approximately USD 125 million of export revenues in only 2017.
Current fast patrol craft program for Qatar MoI has recently been accomplished including delivery of 17-off Hercules Series patrol vessels of 3 types, 24m, 34m and 48m in length, almost two years ahead of its contractual schedule. We are now pleased to announce the new contract signed with Qatar MoI, Coast Guard and Internal Security Forces, covering 3-off 48m Offshore Patrol Vessels and 6-off 21m ARES 65 HARPOON Fast Interceptor Craft. Hopefully very soon by the end of 2018, we will be heralding new export programs for several different allied countries with a more extensive product range and considerably larger export figures for our country. ARES Shipyard is moving forward with confidence on the path to becoming the Turkish and global shipbuilding industry’s rising star.
Along with our export programs supporting our allies’ defense technologies and our homeland economy, the needs of the Turkish Naval Forces and Coast Guard Command are always a priority for us. Beyond meeting financial targets, and in addition to earning foreign currency for Turkey, our biggest goal is to continue and increase our services for the armed forces of our homeland. Therefore I have to underline the fact that we are always ready to support all programs of the Turkish Navy and Coast Guard, as far as our capacity allows us to do.