V.Ships Agency Plans For Growth

V.Ships Agency, the ship agency division of the V.Ships Group, have consolidated their presence in the Middle East by confirming an order for a newbuild Aluminium crewboat, due for delivery in October 2002, band investing in an office / warehouse facility in Fujairah to support the offshore activities of the division. Over the last 10 years, V.Ships Agency has grown from a single office in Holland operating as Seamaster, into a global ship agency network with 15 operating offices in 10 countries built through a combination of organic growth and acquisition. The decision to make the latest strategic investment underlines the division's commitment to the region and to support the growing operations in the UAE, headed up by Rishi Trivedi, Managing Director of the offices in Dubai and Fujairah. In commenting on the order for the 21 metre crew/supply launch, Shay Devine, Managing Director of V.Ships Agency, said : "Within V.Ships Agency we are committed to expanding our network and customer base offering a balance of service quality and competitive pricing. We are seeking to build a team with the right local experience and contacts and will invest in the necessary assets to ensure that we are a serious contender in the markets where we are present". "Equally we are viewing the market for suitable acquisition candidates to enhance our network balancing a desire for growth driven by our customers and the defined strategy of ensuring we bring in like minded service driven teams", added Mr Devine.