New CEO: "ESVAGT stands for safety, entrepreneurship and innovation”

For Peter Lytzen, ESVAGT’s new CEO, taking up this new position is the closing of a circle as he joins a company that he has admired throughout his entire career.

As a young engineer on North Sea platforms looking out over the railings, Peter Lytzen could see ESVAGT’s bright red standby vessels – ready to take action in all weathers.

This filled him with respect for the sailors who worked for the shipping company and with a lifelong fascination for the work that ESVAGT does.

Since the 1st of September 2018, Peter Lytzen has been able to see ESVAGT at very close hand as ESVAGT’s new CEO.

"In many ways it is like the closing of a circle for me now,” says Peter Lytzen:

"I am coming home to Esbjerg where I will be moving into a flat that was once part of my old school and I am joining ESVAGT, which is a company I have been fascinated by and followed with interest in all the years I have been working in the offshore industry,” he says.

Good seamanship

Peter Lytzen has more than 30 years of experience and has held several leading positions in the offshore industry. Most recently, he was part of Teekay Offshore’s Executive Team and CEO for Teekay Petrojarl. He has also been Vice President at Maersk Drilling, responsible for FPSO activities and Project Director at Maersk Oil for a number of projects in the North Sea.

"Since I started working in the industry, I have watched ESVAGT grow and develop from a local company to a successful, international shipping company that has managed to move into the new offshore wind market without losing sight of what is central to ESVAGT’s DNA,” says Peter Lytzen.

For Peter Lytzen, there are three characteristics that embody ESVAGT: safety, entrepreneurship and innovation.

"Safety and ESVAGT have always been closely connected. Having vessels out there in all types of weather – no-one was ever in doubt that they were ready to take action if it was needed. At the same time, it has been fascinating to see how they have managed to create a business of such calibre. The company has developed excellent vessels and service concepts and set very high standards for innovation,” says Peter Lytzen:

"You have to admire the commercial innovation too. The company has been able to stay at the forefront of development and position itself as one of the strongest players within the offshore wind industry with innovative and efficient SOVs,” he says.

He sees constant good seamanship as the common denominator. Understanding tasks, reading customer needs and seeing how to bring value.

"That is how the company has been able to work with clients and with the exacting needs found in the offshore industry,” says Peter Lytzen:

"Understanding the value of high quality, appreciating their role in the value chain and an in-depth knowledge of the industry; those are values that have been absolutely central at the port of Esbjerg for many years and are at the heart of ESVAGT as a company,” he says.

Many opportunities

There is a saying that if you are not going forwards then you must be going backwards.

This is something that Peter Lytzen believes in. He is motivated by growth and making the company better, bigger and stronger; finding new ways and moving the goalposts for what is possible. One possible route for development is the North American east coast, where offshore wind energy projects are on the drawing board both in Canada and in the United States. Here lie opportunities for a shipping company like ESVAGT. There are also decom opportunities in those sectors of the North Sea that will need to be dismantled and rebuilt over the coming years.

Another opportunity is acquisition and consolidation in the market:

"There are possibilities for both organic growth and to grow through acquisition. Good and bad markets alike have opportunities that we can play to,” says Peter Lytzen.

Extensive experience

ESVAGT’s chairman of the board, Jakob Thomasen, is looking forward to welcoming Peter Lytzen to ESVAGT:

"Peter’s extensive knowledge of leadership in offshore and shipping along with his experience from the investor side make him the right leader for ESVAGT. Peter’s business acumen and drive to develop will ensure that ESVAGT will continue to be the clear choice when customers look for innovative and competitive solutions,” says Jakob Thomasen.

The chairman of the board also extends a warm thanks to Kristian Ole Jakobsen, who has been ESVAGT’s interim CEO over the last nine months:

"Kristian’s work has been excellent and he has ensured that ESVAGT has steered a steady course in a difficult time. As Deputy CEO, Kristian will continue to play a key role at ESVAGT,” says Jakob Thomasen.