The Singapore-based China Navigation Co Swire Projects on Tuesday, a new multipurpose heavylift operation that will work closely with the various marine service activities of the Swire group.
“By bringing together trade routes, fleet, and expertise across the Swire Group’s marine activities, Swire Projects is set to lead a smart network of resources, enabling highly efficient, trusted and flexible shipping solutions to service clients in the project logistics sector, particularly project forwarders, engineering, Procurement and construction (EPC), heavy civil and offshore energy construction players,” said Namir Khanbabi, a former Zeamarine director for Asia and Oceania who has been recruited to head up Swire Projects as its general manager.
Khanbabi will be based in Singapore. He will be joined by two other ex Zeamarine executives – Matthias Kremser, former regional director and Nicki Schumacher, former chief operating officer, who will be based in Hamburg as global head of chartering and head of Europe, respectively.
Rufus Frere-Smith, who was vice president of projects/oil & gas at Kuehne+Nagel before joining China Navigation as it country manager for the Americas in 2019, will lead the Swire Projects Americas team that will be based in Vancouver and Houston.
Swire Projects will work closely with Swire Bulk to provide global project parcelling services that will be offered to the project cargo sector, particularly for wind cargo components, tubulars and heavy civil infrastructure material.
“Swire Bulk’s global network will also enable the projects team to participate in early works infrastructure requirements where bulk construction materials are required for civil and marine infrastructure. This includes offering trans-shipment solutions in order to access draft restricted or undeveloped facilities,” the company said.
In addition to utilising China Navigation’s fleet of 180 vessels and multipurpose vessels operated by Swire Bulk and Swire Shipping, Swire Projects will also operate specialised tonnage tailored to specific project requirements.
The company did not elaborate on whether it would charter or acquire specialist heavy lift ships if these were required, but did indicate that for offshore projects, it would be working in close alliance with Swire Pacific Offshore.
The launch of Swire Projects marks a busy year of change at China Navigation and affiliated Swire group companies. Major developments have included putting in place the demerger of Swire Bulk into a standalone company, and rebranding Swire Pacific Offshore deepsea engineering subsidiary Swire Blue Ocean into Cadeler ahead of a possible listing on the Oslo bourse
