Vietnam’s burgeoning offshore wind market has prompted ship agency GAC to set up shop in the growing South East Asian powerhouse.
The country is planning to scale up its wind-power generation capabilities to about 30% by 2050, up from 5% currently, with more than 120 offshore wind farm projects currently scheduled for construction.
Establishing GAC’s footprint in Vietnam comes as the South East Asian country undergoes a renewable energy revolution with a target of being net zero by 2050, the company said.
“The push for renewables is a key focus for GAC,” Erland Ebbersten, GAC’s group vice president of marine and energy, said in a statement.
“We are now leveraging our decades-long expertise in offshore development projects, including offshore wind ones, to ramp up support for renewables projects and are set to play a critical part in Vietnam’s journey to net zero.”
GAC has opened the office in Ho Chi Minh in partnership with SME Logistics Holding, which is described as a leading international freight forwarding, project logistics and shipping agency company in Vietnam and Indochina.
GAC said the launch of the new facility also comes in response to “growing customer demand for shipping and logistics services in the region”.
“We have been active in Vietnam for many years through our work with local partners and agents, but the time is now right to set up our own operational office in Vietnam,” said Daniel Nordberg, GAC’s group vice president in Asia Pacific and Indian subcontinent.
“The combination of GAC’s global network with the strong local presence and know-how of SME Logistics will mark a new chapter for us to better serve our customers and deliver their strategy.
“Our new office in Ho Chi Minh is a reflection of GAC Group’s commitment to serving and supporting our customers in South East Asia, as well as the wider Asia-Pacific region, which continues to show significant growth in several sectors, including the offshore energy industry,” Nordberg added.
GAC’s office in Vietnam follows the opening of a new office in Taichung, Taiwan, in November 2022 to support growing customer demand and provide offshore operations services.
