Columbia Shipmanagement eyes expansion with new European office

The move, which is the result of a Columbia Group-wide audit looking at the next 10 years of growth, also sees the establishment of CSM Norway in Oslo, which will cater to the specific needs of the growing number of clients in Norway, offering its whole suite of services including full technical and crew management.

The Columbia Group said as a client-facing office, the Norwegian office is “the first step in CSM Northern Europe’s aim to have satellite offices around the northern European hub of Hamburg.”

CSM Germany and Northern Europe managing director Johann Meyer will lead the operations in Norway and northern Europe. Mr Meyer said, “Our aim is to bring our expertise and services closer to our clients in northern Europe by establishing a local presence in areas such as Norway,”

"Building relationships and trust is vital in any business and by having dedicated CSM representatives on the ground, we can cater to their various needs, whether they are managing tankers, container ships, cruise ships or offshore vessels.”

The company laid out its plan saying establishing CSM Northern Europe will also allow Columbia Shipmanagement to expand on its rapidly expanding offshore business, CSM Energy, with the main hub for this in Hamburg.

From here, it plans to build on its market in Norway and northern Germany, offering third-party ship management and associated services in the offshore, recycling, LNG and renewable energy markets.

With the roll-out of CSM Norway, other locations will follow, with CSM looking to expand in areas where it can be closer to its growing markets.

Group president and chief executive Mark O’Neil remarked, “We want to be at the heart of the areas we serve, so we can be confident we are meeting the needs of our clients. The whole ethos of Columbia Shipmanagement is about forming partnerships and maintaining them. We look forward to working much more closely with our partners in northern Europe.”