PORT SUDAN, June 8 (SUNA) — The Director General of the Sea Ports Corporation (SPC), Engineer Gailani Mohamed Gailani, officially launched the maintenance operations for the marine tugboats Al-Kormuk and Haidoub at the Floating Dock Administration on Monday. The launch took place in the presence of deputy directors general and several heads of general and auxiliary directorates. The SPC Director General praised the exceptional efforts of the workforce, particularly those in the dockyard and marine vessels workshop, whose dedication was instrumental in reaching this critical stage of the maintenance project.  He confirmed that the maintenance works are being executed with technical assistance from the Dutch shipbuilding firm Damen. This cooperation reflects the stability of operations in Sudan and underscores the historic partnership between the SPC and Damen, which dates back to 1984 in the fields of marine docks and vessels. He pointed out that this project serves as an invaluable opportunity for knowledge transfer, allowing Sudanese engineers and technicians at the dockyard workshop to acquire advanced technical expertise. Engineer Gailani explained that the tug Al-Kormuk is a vital marine unit relied upon heavily for port operations. It is scheduled to return to active service within three months upon the completion of its refit, after which maintenance on the tug Haidoub will immediately commence. He emphasized that the maintenance is being executed by Sudanese hands with technical backing from Damen. He noted that while such complex overhauls were historically carried out abroad, executing them domestically enhances national capacities, dramatically reduces operational costs, and elevates the efficiency of the local technical cadre. Concluding his address, the Director General of the Sudan Ports Corporation (SPC) commended the joint efforts of all contributing directorates, led by the Financial, Docks and Marine Vessels, Procurement, and Engineering Directorates, noting that this synergy reflects strong teamwork and advances the development of Sudan’s seaports.BH/BH