UAE-based Maritime Industrial Services Co. Ltd. Inc. (OSE: MIS) has signed a contract with Saudi Aramco for refurbishment work on its SAR 201 jack-up rig. The work is set to start in the first week of April with the arrival of the rig at MIS’ Sharjah yard and is scheduled for completion by early August 2009.

The scope of the project covers major refurbishment work to be done to the accommodation units in addition to blasting and painting work to the legs, tank repairs and coatings and some major piping works. The project will also cover the inspection of the rig’s spud cans, among other work, all within the framework of a 5-year special periodical survey for a Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU).

Saudi Aramco has been a client of the MIS Group for over 20 years with several projects completed by MIS Sharjah and MIS Arabia in Saudi Arabia where MIS is partnered with two local Saudi companies. This project marks the first time that Aramco has commissioned a rig refurbishment project at MIS’ Sharjah, UAE yard. Kevin Hudson, MIS’ Group CEO commented, “We’re extremely pleased with this landmark contract which shows the trust that Saudi Aramco has in MIS and further highlights our commitment to supporting all our value streams in 2009.”