SAL Heavy Lift shuts down SAL Offshore business

SAL Heavy Lift, a German marine heavy lift and transportation specialist, is shutting down its business unit SAL Offshore B.V in the Netherlands. SAL Offshore provides DP installation solutions the international offshore industry clients.

Explaining the rationale behind the decision, the company has cited challenging times, and significant reductions in projects worldwide in the past years.

“Such conditions have made it difficult for SAL Offshore to obtain a sustainable and profitable foothold in the market. SAL Heavy Lift GmbH as owner and shareholder of SAL Offshore B.V. has therefore decided to change strategy and its approach to the offshore market, resulting in the closure of the office Delft, The Netherlands.”

The closure of the SAL Offshore B.V. office in Delft, does not spell the end for SAL in the offshore markets. SAL will continue to offer offshore installation services with its DP2 vessel MV Lone and/or other vessels of our fleet based on scope and opportunity.

In future, all offshore activities of SAL will be handled by the company’s Marine Projects team within the office in Hamburg.

The company said SAL would continue with its presence in The Netherlands.

An office focusing on shipping activities will be established in Rotterdam and be run by Matthieu Moerman, Erik ter Horst and Michiel Rijckaert, all of whom are already well known SAL representatives in the Benelux region.

Toshio Yamazaki, Chief Executive Officer, said the closure of the office would lead to layoffs, as well.

He said: “Regrettably, the closure of our office in Delft result in us having to say goodbye to skilled and good colleagues. Colleagues that have worked hard to establish the presence of SAL Offshore in markets around the world. We thank each of them for their efforts. SAL is busy these days transforming and optimizing our business, to provide state of the art transport solutions. Our Semi-Liner and Project business is well known for the high quality and technical superiority, that can be matched by very few. Our team and myself look forward to meet existing and new clients to discuss business opportunities both in shipping and in offshore marine projects. SAL will continue to stand for innovation and engineered marine transportation.”