Norwegian shipowner Seatrans is the latest to go down the joint venture route for ship management forming a new company with Columbia Ship Management (CSM).
The joint venture named Stödig Ship Management will be based out Seatrans offices in Norway and all its current staff will remain employed in the new company.
Seartrans manages and operates a fleet of chemical tankers, ro-ro, offshore vessels, bulkers and product tankers.
Mark O’Neil, President and CEO of CSM, said: “In Columbia Shipmanagement we recognise the particular expertise and skill sets associated with managing ships in the hard chemical trades and other special tonnage markets. Stödig Ship Management has that expertise which we can build upon with existing and new client opportunities.
As well as managing vessels for Seatrans the joint venture could take on third party vessels from other Scandinavian owners.
“It also opens the door to the Scandinavian and North European Offshore and Energy sectors which are crying out for alternative quality management service providers, able to bring in levels of digital optimisation, scalability and a variety of platform services,” he added.
From Seatrans Gisle Rong, who will continue in his existing role as Managing Director of Stödig.
“Our knowledge and experience with Seatrans adds 50 years of quality and customer focus to the co-operation. Our latest efforts implementing Rotorsails for Sea-Cargo and our close co-operation with Seatrans Chemical Tankers on port efficiency and new types of cargo, enable us to work with customers who share our values and ideas of a modern and sustainable shipping industry,” Rong said.
The venture begins operations this month.
Source: Seatrade Maritime
