Offshore Crane Engineering of Aberdeen, Scotland has formed a joint venture in Brazil with local partner Q&B Services Limitada.
The new company, Caledonia Brasil Limitada, is aiming to win work on the back of the multi-billion dollar investment plans of Brazilian state oil company Petrobras and help increase the productivity of lifting equipment in the Brazilian offshore industry.
Scott Glatley, managing director of Offshore Crane Engineering, said: ‘Brazil is a growing market and we are keen to establish ourselves there at the beginning of what promises to be an exciting period of expansion. Petrobras has investment plans of more than $30 billion over the next five years and is becoming increasingly open to new ideas and technologies. The new office links in with Q&B Services’ existing facility in the area and is well positioned at the hub of operations for the oil and gas industry. Caledonia Brasil will draw on the technical knowledge of its parent company Offshore Crane Engineering that currently provides a wide range of services and dedicated personnel trained to meet the needs of the offshore crane and lifting industry worldwide.’
Caledonia Brasil , based in Macae, is headed by Rafel Armengou. Services include operation, maintenance and repair programmes for all makes of crane through to complete management and administration packages for offshore lifting equipment. The new company will also undertake feasibility studies, crane and lifting design and manufacture.
Glatley said: ‘The fact that we offer a total package ranging from design and construction right through to training and safety auditing means that the new company is a one stop shop in industry terms. For instance, the operational utilisation of cranes in the North Sea is in the 98% to 99% availability range, whereas in Brazil the utilisation levels are considered to be much lower. By providing best practices as we do in the North Sea, we will be able to help our Brazilian customers attain higher utilisation levels, similar to what is achievable in the North Sea.’
