DUBAI -- Jebel Ali-headquartered Gulf Agency Company (GAC) has now expanded to the UK through an alliance with ship agent OBC Shipping Limited. The area covered by the GAC-OBC collaboration comprises England, Scotland and Wales.
Established in 1979, OBC specialises in providing ship agency services to all types of dry bulk carriers, tankers and other tramp vessels at all ports and terminals in the UK, and attends to over 7,000 vessels per year.
According to Lars Heisselberg, GAC group vice-president (shipping services), sustained growth in the UK's maritime industry, driven primarily by the increase in volume for bulk imports, is the key catalyst for GAC's entry.
He said: "There is a rising import demand for dry bulk commodities such as coal, agriculture bulk and forest products. Our timely partnership with OBC enables us to meet the surge in demand for port and ship agency services, particularly for dry bulk carriers as well as in the rapidly growing LNG sector."
GAC has operations in the Americas, Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, Asia Pacific and the Mediterranean, he said, adding: "We believe we can leverage our existing dry bulk expertise together with OBC in UK to further expand our foothold in this vital sector."
John Wignall, OBC group managing director, said: "We have ambitions to expand in many areas and recognise the advantages of having greater access to a larger customer data base and other commercial benefits of being a member of the GAC Global Agency Network."
Over the last two years, GAC has rapidly extended its global network of agents as part of its strategy to become a fully integrated worldwide service provider with local expertise. Its global network of agents today includes Oceania Maritime Services (Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific islands), Unipros (Republic of Korea), Kudrat Maritime (Malaysia), Wilford & McKay (Panama), Vensport (Venezuela) Ultramar Network (Argentina, Chile, Peru and Uruguay), Wilson & Sons (Brazil) and Seaforth (East Africa). Rice, Unruh, Reynolds & Co (US East and Gulf Coast), once a member of the global agency network, was acquired by GAC earlier this year.
By Jamila Qadir
© Khaleej Times 2005
