GAC sets up energy specialist arm in Houston

JOC Staff |
GAC Energy & Marine Services LLC (GEMS) launched to offer integrated logistics solutions to the oil & gas and mining sectors.

Houston, Texas, 4 May 2010 - GAC has strengthened its global energy and logistics network with the opening of GAC Energy & Marine Services LLC (GEMS) in the maritime and energy hub of Houston, Texas.

Located in the new Central Green development close to Houston International Airport, the GEMS facility provides 65,000 square feet of covered warehousing space and 40,000 square feet of open air storage. It offers an extensive portfolio of services for the oil and gas and mining sectors, including: in-house case packing; international or domestic air and ocean freight management; and charter and project services. In addition, to give clients total visibility and control, GEMS uses the latest IT systems for all its operations, as well as track & trace and reporting management.

At the GEMS' official launch at the Offshore Technology Conference today, GAC Group Vice President for the Americas Lars Heisselberg hailed the new operation as an eagerly anticipated strategic move - both by GAC and its extensive client base in Houston which has exacting demands for energy-related support and services.

Houston is undoubtedly the oil and gas hub of the U.S, a strong foothold in this dynamic market was a 'must' to complete GAC's global energy logistics network, which until now covered North Europe, West Africa, the Middle East and Asia, he added. In addition to completing that global picture, our new energy set-up in Houston is ideally positioned to handle emerging projects opportunities in South America.

GEMS delivers a further boost to GAC's suite of services in the Americas - ship & hub agency, and supply of bunker fuels - according to its CEO Bob Bandos, who adds: Most importantly, we can now offer important service components to our shipping principals in specialised market segments such as the seismic and pipe-laying industries.

GEMS operations are supported by key staff with decades of global projects and oil & gas experience, including Vice President Mark Moore, and Operations Manager for Air / Ocean, Yalonda Henderson.