Forland gets new chief financial officer

Norwegian offshore vessel owner Forland has appointed Gunnar Jansen as the company’s chief financial officer (CFO) effective from March 1, 2017.

Forland said on Monday that Gunnar Jansen comes from the position of chief commercial officer and deputy chief executive officer in Vestland Offshore.

Jansen will succeed Andreas Høvik who will resign from the CFO position by the end of January 2017 to start a new job from February 1, 2017.

Jansen has has held different positions within the offshore industry. He has more than ten years of industry experience including eight years for GC Rieber Shipping as General Counsel and three years for Jebsen Management AS.

Forland last week held an investor meeting where it said that in the short and medium term, the company would be focusing on extending the existing time charter contracts for their two vessels or to obtain new contracts when the existing ones expire in 2018.

Forland also said that in the long run, the company intends to grow its vessel fleet by three or five vessels. The company added that timing depends on when the current market conditions would improve and that the investment in the newbuilds to be based on speculation or long-term contracts.

Also, Forland recently reached a temporary agreement with EMAS-AMC after EMAS defaulted on the charter hire payment for Forland’s Lewek Inspector vessel for October and November 2016.

Under the agreement, the Lewek Inspector will complete its ongoing project offshore Congo, currently expected to be completed in January 2017.

As for the Forland’s other vessel, the Fugro Saltire, Fugro has found a niche segment for the vessel – to carry out trenching operations within renewables in the UK.

Offshore Energy Today Staff