VIKING Life-Saving Equipment has announced the extension of its global servicing network in Australia and New Zealand, primarily aimed at servicing liferafts.
Six existing certified service partner stations in Australia, and three in New Zealand will expand their servicing portfolio to include VIKING's popular fixed-price Shipowner Agreement. The expansion will take place through two long-running VIKING partners – Australia's Wiltrading and New Zealand's Denray Marine.
The inclusion of Australia and New Zealand in VIKING's fixed-price Shipowner Agreement network has long been on the wishlist of shipowners doing business in that part of the world. While the addition of these two highly developed countries may seem a natural step for a global offering like the Shipowner Agreement, there is a powerful underlying driver in these markets: the generally high price levels Down Under, making VIKING's globally fixed prices particularly attractive.
"By getting closer with the two partners Down Under, we have achieved our goal of providing comprehensive geographical coverage for the Shipowner Agreement. In both cases, we have simply extended a long history of fruitful cooperation, formalizing and deepening it even more. All parties are confident that this agreement will result in higher service volume and closer co-operation for many years to come," said VIKING CEO Henrik Uhd Christensen.
With the introduction of the Shipowner Agreements to the region, VIKING and Wiltrading have strengthened their long-term relationship with Wiltrading's nationwide network. According to Wiltrading's general manager, Rob Lynn, "VIKING's Shipowner Agreements are revolutionizing the way servicing of life-saving equipment is carried out. Australia is an important link in VIKING's global network and, with strategically located service facilities located around the Australian coastline, Wiltrading is committed to supporting shipowners whose vessels operate in this region."
John Peake, general manager of Auckland-based Denray Marine, sees the benefits of the Shipowner Agreements for his clients and his business. "We're pleased to be part of VIKING's Shipowner Agreement network, helping to bring fixed-price servicing to the global shipping industry."