Gac World News

GAC appoints Constantin Draghici to head HSSE drive Hands-on experience to guide Group-wide safety culture. GAC has appointed Constantin Draghici as its Group HSSE (Health Safety Security Environment) Manager to drive awareness and consistent implementation of the best health, safety, security and environmental practices throughout the GAC world. Born in Bucharest, Romania, in 1971, Constantin has a wealth of hands-on operational experience, having served onboard vessels as a…

The Finnish Ambassador for the UK recently visited PD Ports owned Teesport, to see the facility’s latest cranes, purchased from a Finnish manufacturer. As part of his tour of north-east England and Edinburgh, Ambassador Pekka Huhtaniemi visited the port with his wife, Liisa Huhtaniemi, met with senior port officials and was taken on a tour of the dock estate and shown around the port on a launch boat. Mr Huhtaniemi then viewed the four new RTG (rubber-tyred gantry) cranes delivered to Teesport on 18 August.

Global ship spares logistics specialist GAC Marine Logistics (GML) named Jamie McPhail as its new Marketing & Sales Manager to oversee its growing business in Europe. Based in the United Kingdom, McPhail’s key responsibilities are to reinforce the GML brand and promote its specialized ship spares solutions to ship owners and management companies in the region. Hailing from a sea-faring background, McPhail brings to the position over two decades of management and operations experience in the maritime and logistics industry. His experience gives him the advantage to spearhead GML’s business in the maritime market under the strategic direction of GML’s Managing Director Chris Steibelt. www.gacworld.com

Global shipping, logistics and marine services group GAC has announced the merger of its UK operations to better meet clients’ needs, effective 1 January 2010. Shipping services company GAC-OBC, with more than 20 offices throughout the UK, becomes GAC Shipping (UK) Ltd, alongside GAC Logistics (UK) Ltd, GAC’s UK freight forwarding arm. In-house travel agency, GAC-OBC Business Travel, is rebranded as GAC Travel Ltd. Former Managing Director of GAC-OBC, Peter Cole, has been appointed MD of the three companies…

The GAC Group has launched a new solution in crisis management and anti-piracy services – GAC Protective Solutions, Powered by Cerberus – to provide professional security and protective solutions for ships, cargo and crew. The core services include: crisis management, officer/crew training, protective equipment supply, sea marshal services, intelligence reports and alerts, coordination with international and Coalition Maritime Task Forces, and assistance to owners with risk assessment and drafting of Ship Security Plans as required by the ISPS code. GAC Protective Solutions is designed to support vessel Masters to navigate safely through the Gulf of Aden.

Global ship spares logistics specialist GAC Marine Logistics (GML) has successfully completed a complex ships spares movement involving a 7.5-metre diameter, 28-ton propeller from Kobe, Japan, and 9-metre long, 13-ton shaft from Busan, South Korea, for Greece-based ship operator Atlantic Bulk Carriers Management (ABC). GML was entrusted with the entire operation, from receiving the propeller and shaft from the suppliers’ doors at their separate points of origin, through to fitting the shaft to the propeller before placing them in long-term storage at its dedicated warehouse in Singapore.

GAC Shipping has appointed Ana Silveira as its new Marketing Manager for Central & South America and Darren Martin as Senior Marketing Manager for North America with immediate effect. A graduate of the State University of New York Maritime College at Fort Schuyler, with a Bachelor degree in International Transportation and Trade, Silveira is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish and English. She joined GAC immediately after graduation, as a Hub Coordinator in Houston, responsible for monitoring port calls for hub customers such as Chevron, BG, Euronav and Tanker Pacific.

GAC has launched GAC Ship Lay-up Solutions, a new service package to help owners/operators avoid non-profitable journeys, and reduce wear & tear, fuel consumption and insurance premiums during periods of low demand. When demand for ocean freight is low and rates are depressed, laying-up a vessel can be the best option during the idle period. And now, under the umbrella of its Shipping Services and Solutions, GAC is offering vessel owners/operators and ship management companies fully-customizable, cost-effective solutions for laying-up vessels around the world. GAC Ship Lay-Up Solutions (GLUS) offers its customers a choice of lay-up locations around the world as well as a comprehensive range of maintenance services for their vessel’s lay-up period.