Maritime Vision

Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB), EDGE Group’s naval arm and the regional leader in the construction, maintenance, refit, and conversion of naval and commercial vessels, is showcasing its growing portfolio of multi-mission platforms and advanced maritime systems at Indo Defence Expo & Forum 2025, taking place from 11 to 14 June in Jakarta.

In an interview with Atul Chandra of GBP Aerospace & Defence, ADSB’s CEO, David Massey, highlighted the key developments shaping the company’s growth trajectory, bolstered by major orders from Angola and, most recently, Kuwait.

Massey offered a strategic view of ADSB’s emergence as a naval shipbuilder of global relevance, outlining the company’s expansion strategy in Southeast Asia’s highly competitive defence market and its long-term vision for advancing unmanned surface vessel (USV) capabilities.

Edited Excerpts from the interview:

Can you provide an overview of ADSB’s strategy for the Indonesian market?

Indonesia and the broader Southeast Asia region are key priority markets for ADSB. We’re currently in early-stage discussions to supply several naval platforms to Indonesia, including the 17-metre DETECTOR USV and a range of patrol vessels, tailored to meet the country’s maritime security requirements.

While the FA-400 offshore patrol vessel (OPV) isn’t part of any active discussions, we recognise its strong alignment with Indonesia’s operational requirements and would welcome the opportunity to introduce this versatile platform to the market.

We are optimistic that formal announcements will be made during or shortly after the show, signalling tangible progress in our commercial expansion in the region.

We have an established strategic relationship with PT PAL, Indonesia’s largest maritime manufacturer, currently building the LHD for the UAE Navy, a key partnership that we expect to build upon to further support regional defence priorities.

What key market trends do you see shaping the demand for naval vessels in the region?

While the threat profile and operational priorities vary by country, most of the regional defence and security stakeholders we engage with face a common set of challenges, including piracy, insurgency, people smuggling, narcotics trafficking, and illegal fishing.

The intensity of each threat differs by country, with some facing heightened risks from piracy, while others contend more with trafficking and people smuggling. Nevertheless, the core mission requirements remain remarkably consistent.

These threats do not necessitate highly sophisticated vessels equipped with advanced surface-to-air or surface-to-surface missile systems. Instead, they require agile, highly responsive patrol platforms with 30 mm cannons, rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs), and the capability to intercept and board offending vessels, which can efficiently assert control over territorial waters. This, in our view, positions the OPV segment as the fastest-growing and most commercially viable market.

Even customers who historically prioritised more sophisticated platforms are increasingly recognising the need to supplement their fleets with versatile, cost-effective patrol platforms. This strategic shift directly informs ADSB’s growing focus on developing its OPV range, which we see as a major driver of future growth.

What lies ahead for ADSB in terms of product innovation and capability development?

Looking ahead, it is a reasonable projection that our next vessel design will exceed 60 metres in length. Whether this platform will be launched on speculation or through a customer-led requirement will depend on market conditions. However, the successful rollout of our FA-400 OPV, which was built on speculation and is now attracting significant interest, with several additional units anticipated over the next 12 months, positions us to move forward with confidence.

In the unmanned space, our focus is on extending endurance and advancing autonomous capability. The next challenge is not simply building a 20-metre USV that can remain operational for 24 to 48 hours, but delivering a significantly larger vessel capable of operating for up to 30 days at sea.

This requires seamless integration of sophisticated sensors and systems, including collision avoidance, return-to-base, and other mission-critical technologies. While many of these systems involve off-the-shelf components, they require tailored integration to meet the rigorous operational standards of our defence clients. It’s a complex undertaking, but one we are actively and confidently addressing.