Which countries does Ares Shipyard export boats to?
Ares Shipyard’s export customers verified by sources are Qatar, Oman, Nigeria, Iraq and Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The largest program is the 17-boat contract worth roughly 250 million dollars signed with the Qatar Coast Guard in 2014; the 2024 ULAQ sale to the same country became Turkey’s first export of an unmanned surface vehicle. In February 2026 the company announced a plan to establish two shipyards in Saudi Arabia under the name ARES Naval.
Qatar: a track running since 2014
The contract signed at the DIMDEX show in March 2014 covered 17 boats in three configurations: 5 of 24 meters, 10 of 34 meters and 2 of 48 meters. Defence Turkey reported the contract value as roughly 250 million dollars. The design was carried out in cooperation with Britain’s BMT; the main engines were sourced from MTU and the waterjets from Rolls-Royce. Deliveries began in 2016, and 13 boats had been delivered by the end of 2017. These boats came from the HERCULES family, which appears in the company’s current catalog as the BOLD class.
In March 2018, Naval Today reported that Qatar had placed a follow-on order for 9 vessels worth roughly 200 million dollars, comprising 3 ARES 150 HERCULES and 6 ARES 80 SAT boats. In May 2018 the company announced that its total business volume in Qatar had reached half a billion dollars. In November 2024, with the contract signed at Milipol Qatar, Qatar became the first export customer of the ULAQ unmanned surface vehicle; quantity and value are not officially disclosed.
Oman: a 14-boat program
Under a contract announced in December 2018, the Royal Oman Police Coast Guard ordered 14 boats of the 26-meter ARES 85 HERCULES class; Army Recognition reported the program with a four-year procurement schedule. According to Naval News, the first boat was delivered in December 2019; the 70-ton platform reaches speeds of up to 55 knots according to company data and carries a 12.7 mm remote-controlled weapon station. The company said it trained more than 200 Omani personnel under the program. The sale was recorded as Turkey’s first military vessel export program to Oman.
Verified export programs
| Country | Year | Scope | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qatar | 2014 | 17 boats (5×24 m, 10×34 m, 2×48 m) | ~250 million USD (Defence Turkey) |
| Nigeria | 2015 | 2 fast patrol boats (Customs Service) | Not officially disclosed |
| TRNC | 2016 | ARES 42 HECTOR coast guard boats (final acceptance) | Not officially disclosed |
| Qatar | 2018 | 9 vessels (3x ARES 150 + 6x ARES 80 SAT) | ~200 million USD (Naval Today) |
| Oman | 2018 | 14x ARES 85 HERCULES | Not officially disclosed |
| Qatar | 2024 | ULAQ 11 PSV unmanned surface vehicle | Not officially disclosed |
| Iraq | 2025 | TYPE 55 SAT boats (in partnership with ENM Korea) entered service | Not officially disclosed |
Nigeria, Iraq and new markets
The company announced in May 2015 that it had delivered two fast patrol boats to the Nigerian Customs Service. In March 2025 it announced that the TYPE 55 SAT boats built for the Iraqi Ministry of Defense in partnership with South Korea’s ENM had entered service; the platform is examined in the SAT class file. In February 2026, CEO Oğuzhan Pehlivanlı said the company would establish ARES Naval in Saudi Arabia with a local partner, with production and maintenance facilities planned in Dammam and Jeddah; he counted the Gulf countries among the company’s main future export markets.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ares Shipyard’s largest export contract?
The largest single contract with a disclosed value is the 2014 Qatar deal for 17 boats, worth roughly 250 million dollars. The company said in 2018 that its total business volume in Qatar had reached half a billion dollars.
Has there been a sale to the UAE?
The company regularly travels to Abu Dhabi for the NAVDEX shows; however, no source-verified record of a signed delivery contract with the UAE could be found.
Which agency operates the Qatari boats?
The Coast Guard Command under the Qatari Ministry of Interior. In 2019 the country opened its largest coast guard base, where these boats are stationed.
Where do the export boats’ engines come from?
In the Qatar program, the main engines were sourced from MTU and the waterjets from Rolls-Royce; the company announced the supply arrangement in 2015.
Is there a sale to Saudi Arabia?
There is no verified boat delivery. The announced plan is to establish two facilities in Dammam and Jeddah under the name ARES Naval; contract details are not officially disclosed.
Sources and verification note
Contract quantities and values are given only as they appear in the sources; for undisclosed values, the wording “Not officially disclosed.” was used. Accessed: August 13, 2026.
- https://www.defenceturkey.com/en/content/ares-shipyard-world-s-greatest-composite-hull-ship-manufacturer-early-delivers-the-multi-role-patrol-crafts-to-qatari-coast-guard-command-2907
- https://ares.global/media-center/news/qatar-coast-guard-purchases-17-high-speed-coast-guard-boats-from-turkeys-ares-shipyard
- https://www.navaltoday.com/2018/03/22/qatari-coastguard-orders-nine-more-vessels-from-ares-bmt/
- https://ares.global/media-center/news/ares-shipyards-business-in-qatar-reached-half-a-billion-dollars
- https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/navy-news/2018/ares-shipyard-to-supply-14-fast-patrol-vessels-to-oman
- https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2019/12/ares-shipyard-delivers-first-ares-85-hercules-fast-patrol-craft-to-oman/
- https://ares.global/media-center/news/turkeys-ares-shipyard-has-delivered-two-fast-patrol-boats-to-the-nigerian-customs-service
- https://ares.global/media-center/news/type-55-sat-coast-guard-boats-built-in-partnership-between-enm-korea-and-ares-shipyard-for-the-iraqi-ministry-of-defense-enter-service
- https://ares.global/media-center/news/final-acceptance-of-ares-42-hector-coast-guard-boats-for-trnc
- https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2024/10/qatar-becomes-first-export-customer-of-turkish-ulaq-armed-usv/
- https://breakingdefense.com/2026/02/turkish-shipbuilder-to-launch-ares-naval-in-saudi-arabia-with-two-shipyards-ceo/
- https://ares.global/media-center/news/turkeys-ares-shipyard-in-supply-of-rolls-royce-waterjets-and-mtu-diesel-engines-for-17-off-qatar-coast-guard-boats
