SAL Heavy Lift and Intermarine are coming together to service the Americas and cross-Atlantic trade. Industry veteran Svend Andersen has joined Intermarine as its ceo.
Operating as an independent brand within the SAL Heavy Lift Group, Intermarine will tie its Americas liner service to SAL’s global heavy lift trade.
For over 30 years, Intermarine has specialised in breakbulk liner services between North and South America and in the Caribbean, in combination with a strong intra-South America trading network. SAL Heavy Lift, meanwhile, focuses on the delivery of super heavy project cargoes internationally. The companies said that this deal brings together the expertise, resources and fleets of both companies and establishes a unique commercial proposition that will benefit a broad spectrum of customers.
Intermarine will continue to be led by Richard Seeg as president and Chad Call as vice president and chief financial officer. New to the management team is ceo and shareholder Svend Andersen who brings four decades in the breakbulk and multipurpose sector to the role.
Andersen said: “The joining of Intermarine with the SAL organisation is a perfect matching of two companies which share the same basic set of values and business philosophy yet with a different fleet of vessels, resources and outreach. In combination, it makes an unmatched setup in cross-Atlantic trading and intra-Americas heavy lift shipping.
“I have invested in this venture, as I see great prospects in bringing the Intermarine brand and business onwards under the helm and support of SAL Heavy Lift as a top brand in the heavy lift shipping industry.”
With the acquisition of a majority stake in Intermarine, SAL’s customers can benefit from more vessels operating in and out of South America, as well as ships servicing river deltas, where SAL would otherwise have limited access, it said. Furthermore, Intermarine customers will be able to access SAL’s fleet of 900-tonne-plus lifting capacity vessels. The Intermarine fleet consists of multipurpose heavy lift vessels that have lifting capacities of up to 400 tonnes.
The new venture has commenced commercial operation.
Martin Harren, SAL Heavy Lift ceo, said: “We have for a while been looking at expanding our services in the Americas, and with Intermarine now being part of the SAL Group, we can enable further trade across the Atlantic, combining important trade between Africa, South America, North America and Europe. We could instantly see the great synergy effects between Intermarine and SAL. When we can combine our already strong sales setup in the USA with the know-how from resources like Richard Seeg, Chad Call, and lastly Svend Andersen, who I have known and worked with for many years, I see a very powerful setup unfold.”
