Seacontractors upbeat on Middle East prospects

“Demand is coming up. [The region] booming again,” said Xander Schanssema, Seacontractors’ executive director, who is looking to Dubai to win its bid to host World Expo 2020, a decision to be announced in Paris on 27 November by the International Exhibitions Bureau (BIE).

“There is a lot of work. [The Expo] could help,” he said. “Together with the World Cup in Qatar, we could be very busy. Some infrastructure projects will be coming: the [railway] bridge between [Qatar and Bahrain] might be developed now. We have plans to bring over another two vessels to the region.”

Schanssema was speaking at the naming of the vessel Sea Hotel built at Damen Shipyards Sharjah, and set to operate in Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia assisting barge work.

Seacontractors operates a total fleet of 24 vessels, owning eight and carrying out the commercial management on 15 vessels.

“In 2008, we bought our first vessel, also from Damen. This is now our eighth owned vessel. All three [Middle East-based] vessels are in the end operative for Saudi Aramco,” said Paul Aerts, Seacontractors’ director, business development.

“We also see demand in other regions, so we will carefully spread our fleet [to ensure] the optimal [positioning]. This could include Africa, Western Europe, the company's original base, and also the Middle East,” he said.

Add Seatrade Maritime News to your Google News feed.