This move is in line with the company’s strategic plans, including taking opportunities, by building global strategic partnerships to develop the maritime sector in the Middle East region, diversify the sources of the income and switch to a multi-enterprise businesses, GulfNav said.
The agreement was signed between Gulf Ship Management, a subsidiary of Gulf Navigation Holding and SeaQuest Group in the latter’s Geneva office on 21st December.
GulfNav is to expand its business in the Middle East, Africa and other neighbouring countries in shipmanagement, project management and consultancy services, through a new company to be headquartered in Dubai at the beginning of January, 2017 and will be a subsidiary of Gulf Navigation Holding.
SeaQuest provides shipmanagement and newbuilding project management services from a network of offices in Europe (Geneva, Genoa, Rijeka, Athens) and the Far East (Singapore, Hong Kong, Beijing, Manila). The company currently operates around 25 ships and has been involved in about 90 projects and more of 280 newbuildings on behalf of leading international shipowners.
HE Khamis Juma Buamim, GulfNav’s board member, managing director and group CEO, said; “This Partnership will not only contribute in our business growth in the field of the shipmanagement, but also it will contribute in the expansion of our services in the field of the technical consultancy, to manage a variety of maritime projects and improve the quality of our services with the support and experience of our new partners.”
Sebastiano Portunato, SeaQuest director, said: “We are delighted to partner with Gulf Navigation in this new venture. Today’s announcement marks a very exciting moment for our group. By joining forces with one of the leading UAE shipping companies, we have the unique opportunity to enter in a very active and expanding market and bring our expertise and skills as well as our consistent and persistent approach to quality services.”