Over the last year our Agency and Vessel Department has experienced tremendous growth. Now we’ve strengthened our workforce to accommodate client demands.

At Saga Subsea we pride ourselves on creating innovative, customized solutions for our clients. The Agency and Vessel department is no different. Delivering comprehensive vessel support and maritime agency services across the world, tailored to meet the individual client’s needs.

– We offer the full range of services one could need. It often starts with a client needing help with vessel mobilization and then it develops from there. We can help with everything from crew changes, permits and documentation to provisions and even doctor appointments, explains manager of Agency & Vessel Support, Sigbjørn Aarsand.

No task is too small, nor too big.

– Solstad is one of our bigger clients and on their projects, we often act as an agent handling and booking everything in regards the project, including crew-change, provisions and paperwork.

Aarsand became our head of Agency & Vessel last year and can confirm that the last year has been one for the history books at Saga Subsea.

– The development has been tremendous. Working with this year’s budget I thought I had noted a reasonable prediction in regards of projects and income, but to be honest I think we might have bypassed those goals already, Aarsand says.

Standby and Ready to Help

He believes intensive sales work, combined with our new strategy where all our departments work closer together, has much of the credit.

– Our experience is that a lot of our clients are surprised by the wide range of services we can provide across our organisation. By using other departments in Saga Subsea we can ensure that all the work that is delivered is of the highest quality. And on those areas where we can’t provide the services ourselves, we have trusted partners whom we collaborate with.

Despite being a relatively small department, Agency and Vessel has a large work capacity. They are used to handle challenges that arise quickly and with short deadlines.

– Suddenly a vessel can get a small opening where they can dock for some hours, and a mechanical repair or a similar service must be completed within a very short time frame. It’s our job to be prepared for events like that – to solve the logistics so the issue at hand can get resolved before the boat has to leave dock again, Aarsand explains.

One of the clients we’ve been working with recently is Technip, preparing tooling and equipment for mobilization. 

– Initially on that project we were supposed to prepare the equipment. But then some workers from Technip needed office space in proximity, so we arranged for that as well. We do our best to accommodate along the way as the situation and needs develops.

Early-on Problem-management

A big part of Aarsand and his colleagues‘ workday is to predict, detect and solve issues before our clients even notice them.

– Our mission is to make life easier for the client. In the type of projects we assist on, there’s usually a lot of people and companies involved. With our knowledge and experience we can often predict potential issues before they arise, and in that way solve the problem before it reaches the client and causes panic and headache.

This skill is something that is highly valued.

– We receive a lot of positive feedback. The fact that the clients even take the time to report back and tell us how pleased they were about our services says it all, Aarsand continues and gives praise to his fellow colleagues.

A Leading MRT Service Provider

Wire rope testing is a big part of Agency and Vessels services. Instead of using traditional methods for this, we take pride in being one of Europe’s leading MRT service providers, serving big companies such as Solstad. MRT saves our clients valuable time and money. By choosing MRT the client can unwind the wire at sea, and by the help of a magnetic and contactless method we can screen the whole wire for defects.

– We have equipment that allows us to screen the wire for damage by simply unwinding the wire. MRT is a lot more cost-effective than traditional methods. Both Jostein and Andreas do MRT-services, but to strengthen our expertise Jostein is now in the process of becoming an instructor so we can also train other people in MRT.

In addition to our main base in Haugesund, Norway Saga Subsea also has a division in Las Palmas, Spain. This combined with us now hiring up, makes us even more available for both old and new clients.

– We’ve just hired a new colleague to our department, but by the looks of it we might have to hire even more. There are a lot of exciting projects that are happening now.  

If you face similar challenges, Saga Subsea’s Agency and Vessel can help. Contact us to learn how we can deliver results for you.