The GAC Group, a leading provider of shipping and related services, has formed an alliance with two top names in the marine industry to provide ship management companies with more options under its GAC Ship Lay-Up Solutions (GLUS) service package.

UK-based Bibby Ship Management (BSM) is a market-leading total ship management company which operates globally in every sector of the marine industry, while Swedish DehuTech is a top manufacturer and supplier of dehumidifiers and desiccant cooling equipment.

Under the partnership, BSM will handle technical management and crew management, while DehuTech will cover the dehumidification aspect of laying-up of vessels, including sale and rental of dehumidifiers.

These key service features greatly enhance the existing GLUS portfolio of fully-customisable solutions which also includes ship agency, supply services, FRS (fire, rescue and safety), logistics and a range of lay-up specific services from lay-up preparation and documentation to maintenance and inspection.

Flexible and comprehensive

Christer Sjödoff, group vice president, GAC Solutions said the alliance promotes a total concept where everything  required for secure, safe and cost-effective ship lay-up at locations around the world can be found under the GLUS umbrella, offering customers time and cost efficiency.

“Since we launched GLUS in March, we have received very good response from the maritime industry,” said Sjödoff.

“There is also a strong demand for additional high-quality services. Working with the two best-in-class providers with extensive expertise in their respective fields enables us to expand our servicing offerings through one channel.

“From the comprehensive range of solutions, clients can pick and choose the scope and extent of services for fully tailored packages that meet the needs unique to their vessel type and area of trade.”

Ulf Rahle, managing director of DehuTech explained that dehumidifiers save big money by protecting the vessel against corrosion and other moisture damages.

Confident of the benefits from working with the new partners, Rahle added: “Together with GAC and BSM we are able to provide turn-key dehumidification solutions at several locations around the world.”

Noting that ship owners are increasingly looking at laying-up vessels to avoid non-profitable journeys and reduce costs in the current economic climate, Stephen Blaikie, business development director at BSM, said that the situation presents a different set of needs and operational challenges.

“GAC’s experience complements our ship management, technical and crewing expertise very well, and allows us to collectively meet the requirements of owners/operators,” Blaikie said.

“This alliance enables us to offer specialist skills such as dehumidification, ship agency and logistics in addition to our more mainstream offer, and moves BSM towards being a one-stop ship management offering,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service