Shifting gear

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PROGRESS: The cranes worked in harmony to move the ship base.

Moving heavy equipment is rarely straightforward, but throw in awkwardly sized oil and gas equipment, and things can step up a notch.

Shifting machines, equipment and supplies in the oil and gas industry can be much more complex than in any other sector. Sheer weight, complexity, or quantity of items being moved makes the whole process a challenging one.

Besides the issues surrounding the size and shape of the cargo, there are also challenges in their final destination. Often these are integral parts of oil and gas equipment and need delivering to remote locations in short time, and under huge pressure.

Despite this, there is no shortage of companies taking up the challenge. One such company is GAC, which has been involved in the oil and gas sector in the Middle East region since the 1950s.

"We pride ourselves on having helped built the region's oil and gas infrastructure ‘from the seabed up'," explains GAC energy logistics manager Ismayil Manzil.

"We are unique in the energy sector in being able to provide service packages that integrate a range of services across shipping, logistics, and marine services that can be tailored to specific client demands wherever the project is." he adds.

Timing

Manzil reveals that the majority of GAC's challenges revolve around time and, more specifically, the occasional lack of it. "We always talk about the value of time at every opportunity. In a time-sensitive market, the value a logistics provider adds may be measured in days, hours or even minutes. Only experience and planning can help us meet the expectation of the industry.

"We work and plan with the clients, and follow-up on every stage of the process to ensure success," he states.

Manzil adds that this can mean great difficulty in making sub contractors and authorities appreciate the importance of the time factor for the company's clients. "It is not uncommon that delays could cost US$50,000 or more per day, and in some cases that figure can pass the million dollar mark, so time is of the essence,".

Time is the crucial factor in all of the operations involving oil and gas equipment, Eliska Hill, general manager of cargo-chartering firm, Chapman Freeborne, reveals: "Time is a huge factor, especially if there are spills or breakdowns. That is massive, because you have to get the aircraft in the air very quickly and you can be dependent on the piece being manufactured or made available."

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