OSM looking to expand beyond Brazil

OSM Maritime Group has been flying the flag in Brazil since 1991 and despite the current challenging times it is looking to expand further into South America.

OSM has seen its business in Brazil reduce recently as a result of the various crises that have beset the country and its biggest company, Petrobras. “We are certainly looking for other options in South America, probably in Argentina or in Chile, so we are keen to expand on our involvement down here and not retreat from it,” explained Renata Moura, OSM commercial manager for crewing for Brazil.

Despite the fact that OSM has seen the number of vessels under its management fall from 18 to 11, Ms Moura remained upbeat about winning more business in Brazil and expanding into other South American countries.

In June, Petrobras renewed the charter contract for Swire Pacific Offshore’s anchor handling tug supply vessel Pacific Dove. This means that OSM can continue to carry out the crew management until July 2017. The charter had been delayed by a tactic called blocking whereby owners of unemployed Brazilian flag vessels use their blocking rights to stop a non-Brazilian flag vessel from taking up a new contract with Petrobras and halt the annual renewal of longer-term contracts. It is a tactic that has frustrated many Norwegian shipowners over the past 18 months.

In a tender process that started in March 2016 OSM is representing Varada Marine and Nautilus, with four vessels from each, in a Petrobras bid for oil spill recovery vessels. Also in the offshore support vessel (OSV) sector, OSM is responsible for Aker Wayfarer, a multipurpose offshore construction vessel that has recently been converted into a subsea equipment support vessel at a Norwegian shipyard.

It is owned by Norway-based Ocean Yield and operated by Aker Oilfield Services, part of Aker Solutions, on behalf of Petrobras from the third quarter of this year under a five-year charter contract with options for a further five. OSM has been hired as crew manager for Aker Wayfarer.

Ms Moura said: “This is a very exciting project for us. Earlier this year we sent some crew to Norway to familiarise themselves with the newly converted vessel.”

OSM also manages six tankers owned by Greek companies (five with Tsakos Energy Navigation and one with Mantinia Shipping Co), and two flotels, Aquarius Brasil, owned by Equinox Offshore, and Dan Swift, owned by Axis Offshore.