GULF MARINE SERVICES
PROVIDING HOTELS IN THE SKY
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GULF MARINE SERVICES
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I PROFILE
Gulf Marine Services, a stalwart in the offshore marine industry, has consistently showcased its ability to adapt and innovate. As a key provider of stable platforms for numerous offshore operations, the company boasts a legacy of excellence and forward-thinking, with a portfolio of specialist services catering to the growing needs of both the renewables and oil & gas sectors. In discussion with Richard Hagan, Commercial Director Jamie Taylor provided insights into the company’s operations, history and future outlook.
the offshore support services
IN
barge, carrying out routine maintenance
industry, Gulf Marine Services
and, of course, moving the vessel from
(GMS) stands out as a pioneer,
platform to platform.”
with over four decades of relentless inno-
GMS supports its customers with a variety
vation and service. But at GMS, the word
of other day-to-day operational needs and
‘service’ is not loosely thrown around.
tasks, including support for lifting opera-
Indeed, as Commercial Director Jamie
tions, loading and unloading supply boats,
Taylor pointed out, providing best-in-class
and managing helicopter operations on
operation and maintenance services, (and
GMS’ helidecks during crew changes.
accommodation at hotel-quality), is core
“Generally, we support our customers
to what makes GMS and its teams so vital
wherever we can, allowing them to focus
to its customers’ operations: “Our highly
on better delivering particular projects and
sophisticated jack-up barges provide our
operations,” said Mr Taylor.
clients with a stable platform to run their operations from, which we support with
Offshore homes from home
various other services as well as catering
GMS works with clients ranging from
to the needs of the offshore workforce.
the major oil companies such as Aramco,
“Those services include managing
ADNOC and Qatar Energy, to the big EPC
a heliport, lifting supplies on and off the
contractors working for those firms.
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GULF MARINE SERVICES
I PROFILE
GMS’s work in the Middle East is largely
In the European theatre, however, GMS’
in support of Oil and Gas exploration and
work primarily involves GMS Endeavour: a
production operations. Uniquely, the
tailored vessel designed for wind turbine
company also operates in the North Sea,
main component exchange currently
where historically it served oil and gas
being used for maintenance of offshore
clients; but today its primary business is in
windfarms throughout European waters.
supporting the development and ongoing maintenance of offshore windfarms.
“The Endeavour was substantially modified, with a bespoke package of equip-
GMS’ service offering is roughly similar
ment, so it could effectively support the
across the Middle East, where there is
maintenance of windfarms for Ørsted. The
substantial ongoing demand for its vessels,
modifications were tailored to support that
for work that ranges from the upkeep of oil
client’s turbine maintenance needs,” Mr Taylor
& gas platforms to supporting large-scale
said. “It includes yokes for lifting the turbine
offshore projects and operations.
blades and bespoke blade racks for carrying them to and from site. It also has cantilevering gangways, allowing access to the turbine structure.” And by all accounts, GMS Endeavour has been extremely busy: “It’s the first vessel to be contracted to undertake offshore windfarm maintenance on a year-round basis,” Mr Taylor revealed. “Ørsted uses the vessel year-round to service all of their wind farms across Europe and Scandinavia.”
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While the vessel is kept very busy replacing worn, damaged or end-of-life wind turbine parts, GMS could also provide supporting accommodation for renewable construction projects if and when needed – particularly in the final phases of carrying out maintenance of offshore windfarms. “Wind farms need maintenance in order to keep production optimal,” Mr Taylor explained. “When a turbine
less versatile and more expensive jack-up
breaks down, or is not functioning prop-
rigs. The company’s lift boats provide a
erly, it stops producing electricity. So
basis for accessing offshore platforms
the work that Endeavour does is critical.”
via a stable platform, where a range of services are then provided to support
History and milestones
client operations and projects.
GMS was established in Abu Dhabi in 1977.
Following its acquisition by Gulf Capital
Starting out with a small fleet of offshore
in 2007, the company’s fleet of offshore
supply vessels, the company later transi-
supply vessels was divested, and it went
tioned to building and operating a fleet of
into a major new build programme, aimed
self-propelled lift boats. These vessels were
at expanding its fleet of lift-boats, lasting
pioneers of their time in the region, where
until 2016. During this time, GMS built sev-
previously oil companies had, typically had
eral vessels of different sizes.
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GULF MARINE SERVICES
I PROFILE
Meanwhile, in 2014, GMS listed on the London Stock Exchange, marking a transition point that provided the company with the investment capital it needed to support its build programme. In 2016 GMS celebrated a particularly
Fleet and operations
proud milestone when it took delivery of
Today, GMS owns 13 lift boats of different
GMS Evolution. This vessel was commis-
sizes and designs. These vessels can house
sioned with a heavy well intervention
up to 250 people at any given time, served
cantilever. “It’s a hybrid between a
by approximately 30 crew and catering
drilling rig and a lift boat,” Mr Taylor
personnel. Overall, its fleet is relatively
explained. “It was a pioneering design
young with an average age of just 11 years.
and the first of its kind. It’s currently
In addition to its headquarters in Abu
being used in Qatar in well intervention
Dhabi, GMS has offices in Saudi Arabia
and workover operations.”
and Qatar. Altogether, it employs 500 people drawn from over 30 different nationalities. The majority of its staff work primarily offshore, with crew changes happening on a rotation ranging from two weeks up to three months.
Facing market realities Historically the market for these types of vessels has peaked and troughed in line with the overall oil market. Demand is
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currently strong, driven by significant
able future, we don’t see demand
offshore capital expenditure as national
outstripping supply.”
oil companies aim to meet rising global
In closing, Mr Taylor highlighted his
demand for oil. This translates to
enthusiasm for both his role at GMS and
increased demands for GMS' type of jack-
the work the company does: “It’s a very
up barges but it also leads to increased
dynamic business and there’s never
competition The company expects that
a boring day. Tendering activity is very
demand will remain high for the short to
high with a lot of competition for vessels,
medium term.
leading to high utilisation of our fleet. If you
“We don’t expect demand to change
mix that in with our diverse workforce and
soon, due to the strong pipeline of big
environment, along with the challenges of
EPC contracts that are being awarded
operating vessels in the Middle East and
by the NOCs in the short- to medium-
in Europe, then it brings a dynamism to the
term,” said Mr Taylor. “For a the foresee-
business on a daily basis.”
n
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