Press release -
Kongsberg Maritime: New Kongsberg Maritime South African Facility Opens
Kongsberg, Norway, 7th November 2016 – KONGSBERG formally opened its first office and warehouse facility in the Republic of South Africa on Friday 4th November 2016. Located in Cape Town’s airport zone, Kongsberg Maritime South Africa has been established to better serve customers located in, or visiting ports across the country and throughout the Sub-Saharan region. The new facility joins Kongsberg Maritime’s extensive global network of first party sites, consisting 64 offices located in 20 countries, employing over 4000 people.
KONGSBERG’s expansion in South Africa comes as the Government’s National Development Plan turns towards maritime resources as part of ‘Operation Phakisa’; a program implemented to unlock the economic potential of South Africa’s oceans. Kongsberg Maritime’s diverse technology portfolio can support all major pillars of the Operation Phakisa maritime program, including: Marine transport and manufacturing, offshore oil & gas, aquaculture, marine protection and ocean governance/monitoring.
The Kongsberg Maritime South Africa facility currently combines office and warehouse space in addition to a testing lab, with plans already in place to open training facilities that will help local offshore operators to meet local content requirements. Kongsberg Maritime is also committed to employing local engineers to support a diverse customer-base across the African continent through technical skills and knowledge in addition to cultural experience.
Kongsberg Maritime South Africa currently addresses all customer needs within the merchant automation and dynamic positioning segments, with an ambitious plan to quickly expand scope as the facility grows next year. Current focus is on service, maintenance and after-market support, but the facility will act as a local contact point for all customers in the region. With its location close to Cape Town International Airport, Kongsberg Maritime South Africa can deploy technicians to customer vessels throughout Sub-Saharan Africa faster and for lower-costs.
“The current shipping and offshore markets are challenging but it’s vital that we continue to support our global customer-base by ensuring we have local facilities ready to help wherever a vessel may be,” said Vegar Arndal, EVP Global Customer Support, Kongsberg Maritime. “Our new South Africa office positions a team of experts closer to our customers in the region, enabling a faster, more cost-effective response should we need to visit a vessel. I see Kongsberg Maritime South Africa as a first and important building block in our journey in the region. We have a long-term focus and expect the African continent to be even more exciting going forward.”
“We see an ocean of opportunities in South Africa and throughout the continent, with fast growing economies that attract more and more shipping traffic and a steady offshore oil & gas industry,” said Rune Haukom, VP Global Customer Support – Offshore and Chairman of Kongsberg Maritime South Africa. “By being present with our own facility, we will be better positioned to support local industry across the entire Sub-Saharan Africa region and be part of the growth that Operation Phakisa is expected to generate.”
Ends
For further information, please contact:
Gunvor Hatling Midtbø
Kongsberg Maritime
Tel: +47 9921 4209
gunvor.hatling.midtbo@km.kongsberg.com
Saul Trewern
Saltwater Stone
Tel: +44 (0)1202 669244
s.trewern@saltwater-stone.com
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About Kongsberg Maritime
Kongsberg Maritime is a global marine technology company providing innovative and reliable technology solutions for all marine industry sectors including merchant, offshore, subsea and naval. Headquartered in Kongsberg, Norway, the company has manufacturing, sales and service facilities in 20 countries.
Kongsberg Maritime systems for vessels cover all aspects of marine automation, safety, manoeuvring, navigation, and dynamic positioning. Subsea solutions include single and multibeam echo sounders, sonars, AUV/Underwater Robotics, underwater navigation, communication and camera systems.
Training courses at locations globally, LNG solutions, information management, position reference systems and technology for seismic and drilling operations are also part of the company’s diverse technology portfolio.
In parallel with its extensive technology portfolio, Kongsberg Maritime provides services within EIT (Electro, Instrument & Telecom) engineering and system integration, on an EPC (Engineering, Procurement & Construction) basis.
Kongsberg Maritime delivers solutions that cover all aspects of technology underwater and on the water, aboard new build and retrofit vessels, and on offshore platforms and rigs, often under a single supplier strategy called The Full Picture.
Kongsberg Maritime is part of Kongsberg Gruppen (KONGSBERG), an international, knowledge-based group that celebrated 200 years in business during 2014. KONGSBERG supplies high-technology systems and solutions to customers in the oil and gas industry, the merchant marine, and the defence and aerospace industries.
www.km.kongsberg.com
