Dubai-based GAC Group today announced its alliance with Norway's oldest shipping agency, Ole R Olsen AS (ORO), as part of the ongoing expansion of its global agency network.The GAC-ORO alliance brings together GAC's global connections and best practices with ORO's 161 years of maritime experience in Norway and the country's oil exploration industries in the North Sea. Established in Bergen, Norway in 1845, ORO is the oldest Norwegian shipping agency which is headquartered in Mongstad, home to the country's biggest oil, gas and product terminal.Principals with vessels heading for Norwegian ports and those serving oil platforms in the North Sea can now take advantage of ORO's in-depth local knowledge, in tandem with the benefits of the GAC Group's global connections.Lars Peter Hiesselberg, GAC's Group Vice President, Shipping Services, believes the GAC-ORO collaboration will help improve vessel turnaround time and enhance cost savings for operators in Norway and beyond.
'We will achieve this by taking full advantage of the combination of ORO's strong Norwegian and North Sea expertise and GAC's global strength in ship agency and offshore support services. Together, we will provide a seamless service to meet the increasing demands of shipping principals,' he adds.Frank H. Todtesun, ORO's President says his company is proud to be associated with GAC.'We shall combine our strengths with those of the GAC Group to benefit ships calling at Norwegian ports, as well as Norwegian vessels sailing to ports around the world,' he says.Over the years, ORO has continuously expanded its portfolio to further enhance its services to the shipping community. Its traditional core business was providing shipping services to North Sea liner vessels and coasters carrying dry cargo. Since 1988, it extended its offerings to include liquid cargoes as well as support at all Norwegian oil and gas terminals.
Today, ORO handles over 1,000 port calls of crude oil, LPG, product and methanol vessels every year. It also provides services for vessel lay-ups; broad ship agency cover extending from the Norwegian ports of Kirkenes in the North, to Kristiandsand in the South, and Oslo in the east; 24-hour ship agency support; and ISO 9001:2000 quality assured services.Over the last three years, GAC has rapidly expanded its global network of agents as part of its vision to become a fully integrated worldwide service provider with in-depth local expertise.