Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) has agreed to acquire a 50% stake in the Norwegian manning agency Offshore Crew. The company aims to expand its offshore crewing services through this move.
Offshore Crew, based in Kristiansand, Norway, specialises in recruitment, staffing and crew management for the offshore and maritime industries. Its areas of operation include oil and gas, offshore wind and underwater operations. According to the company, it has a database of around 30,000 offshore specialists. Its operational focus is on the North Sea.
With this investment, BSM is expanding its existing range of services in technical ship management and crew management to include the targeted provision of individual specialists. These include, for example, operators of dynamic positioning systems, crane operators and other specialists for various offshore units. At the same time, the partnership is intended to open up additional types of offshore units.
Shorter response times to staffing requirements
The partners aim to combine Offshore Crew’s personnel expertise with BSM’s global network and infrastructure. The joint range of services is set to extend from recruitment and personnel provision, through crew management, to comprehensive technical management. The aim is to provide qualified personnel more quickly and to better meet short-term staffing requirements, particularly in the offshore wind industry and other energy sectors.
“Offshore Crew brings extensive experience in offshore crewing and a highly specialised talent pool that complements our existing capabilities. This investment enables us to respond more quickly and flexibly to our clients’ needs, particularly in dynamic offshore markets,” says BSM CEO Sebastian von Hardenberg.
Offshore Crew aims to expand internationally with the support of its new partner. “With BSM as our strategic partner, we are ideally positioned to expand our services and reach a broader international client base,” explains Javier Zahn, CEO and Managing Director of the Norwegian company.
According to its own figures, BSM manages a fleet of 700 vessels and employs 40,000 seafarers as well as 2,000 shore-based staff. Its global network comprises ten ship management centres, 29 crew service centres and six in-house maritime training centres. No financial details of the investment were disclosed.
