HHM interview: Naviera Integral & EMAR Offshore Services

De NL Business Hub in Mexico, Holland House Mexico (HHM), interviewt geregeld Nederlandse ondernemers die actief zijn in Mexico. Om jou een beeld te geven van de Mexicaanse markt delen wij deze interviews graag met jou. De interviews zijn in het Engels. 

Mexican based company Naviera Integral and Dutch EMAR Offshore Services, both HHM members, recently entered into a joint agreement for providing maritime services to the Mexican oil and gas industry. HHM facilitated the relation between the two maritime service companies through her matchmaking service. To dive deeper into this newly formed collaboration and the value offering both companies seek to achieve, HHM spoke with Cesar Vera, Chief Commercial Officer at Naviera Integral, and Ronald Hania, Commercial Manager at EMAR Offshore Services in Curaçao.

What are the complementarities between the service portfolios of Naviera Integral and EMAR Offshore Services that resulted in the joint agreement for the Mexican market?

CV: EMAR Offshore Services provides Naviera Integral with access to specialty vessels that contribute to the service offering in Mexico, without the need of vessel purchase for Naviera Integral and no operational footprint for EMAR Offshore Services, due to solid presence of Naviera Integral in the country. 

RH: Synergies exists between both companies. Naviera Integral is a strong and reputable Mexican vessel owner, well known in the local market, and mainly active with fast support and intervention vessels. EMAR Offshore Services is a Dutch no-nonsense vessel owner active with various types of vessels, which are mainly tug, barge and supply ships. We are a partner able to bring in a variety of marine equipment - other to what Naviera currently operates – as well as knowledge and expertise. 

Interesting side note to this is that both companies have a Dutch connection. EMAR Offshore Services being a Dutch company, and the owner of Naviera Integral, Mr Juan Pablo Vega, being the Dutch Honorary Consul in the states of Tabasco and Campeche. Both companies operate Damen vessels that are mainly Dutch build. ‘I believe this “Dutch Connection" is strengthening our relation.’ 

Both Vera and Hania highlighted that their companies seek a long-term partnership, with open conversation, transparency, and offering value-added services as main pillars. 

How will the joint service offering impact the operations of existing and future clients, and what differentiates your joint value proposition from competing services in the Mexican market?

RH: With this joint venture we are able to offer Naviera Integral’s existing and future clients a wider portfolio of marine equipment and maritime services. We will continue the client portfolio of Naviera Integral and hope to expand with their current clients and extend towards new clients. As we have joint access to a wide portfolio of marine equipment, we aim to provide full vessel packages to our clients. Next to that we are also able to provide logistics/shore base services and operational and technical management of SPM buoys.

CV: Our existing and new clients will be receiving the usual efficient service from Naviera Integral with more and most diversified vessels. By doing so, clients are allowed to extend their national content in their operations, as well as securing transparency and accountability that enhances operational timing and costs. Naviera Integral also is ready to launch a technology disruption that will modify the way of doing business in the maritime services market in Mexico. This technology, in the form of a platform integrated in the Naviera Integral website, will not only be accessible for clients but to the entire market.

What are Naviera Integral and EMAR Offshore Services’ expectations for the Mexican oil and gas market in the coming years, and which elements of the administration’s energy policy do you expect to have the greatest impact on the industry's future and your business?

CV: The continuation of the presence of private and international operators provides a larger activity in the Mexican Gulf of Mexico operations for the next 5 to 10 years of activity before the balance of energy sources escalation.

RH: We expect the market to expand starting in 2020 and hope that Mexican vessel rates, which are under pressure compared to the region, will improve too. 

What are Naviera Integral and EMAR Offshore Services’ strategic priorities for the coming years, and how will you measure your success?

CV: Naviera Integral’s priorities lie with mid-to long-term contracts and flagging international vessels as Mexican. Next to that we seek to enter into strategic partnerships with customers and, as mentioned earlier, disrupt the market in a positive manner. 

RH: EMAR Offshore Services aims at expansion into other vessel market segments as ASD tugs, FSIV and PSV, whilst at the same time expanding the current client portfolio. Our joint success can be measured through the number of operational vessels and by determining client satisfaction on our vessel performance and services.

Another strategic decision we have made is the joint participation of EMAR Offshore Services and Naviera Integral in Dutch Pavilions in Mexico. At the upcoming Dutch Pavilion at Shallow and Deepwater Exhibition & Conference both companies will participate with a shared stand space. This event will take place on March 24-26 in Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche. 

What do you expect to be the main drivers of shallow and deepwater maritime services demand, and which types of vessels and services do you expect to experience most demand?

CV: We expect that efficiency in terms of zero downtime, data availability and traceability will be one of the main drivers. Next to this the arrival of Platform Supply Vessels (PSV) Offshore Service Vessels (OSV), Fast Supply Vessels (FSV) with higher characteristics, such as DP-2 and FiFi1 equipped vessels, will be crucial. At the same time the shift to vessels with Hybrid and or LNG engines is a driver.

RH: In addition to what Cesar Vera mentioned, another driver is that companies such as EMAR Offshore Services and Naviera Integral, should provide a variety of vessels with the above characteristics under one contract to their clients.

What would be your advice for Dutch service providers to the oil and gas industry that are planning to enter the Mexican market?

Both Cesar Vera and Ronald Hania agree that due diligence is highly important. The advice to Dutch service providers is to have a Mexican based partner pre-screened by Holland House Mexico and the Embassy of The Netherlands in Mexico. 

What contribution can Holland House Mexico Energy & Maritime make to intensify business development between Dutch and Mexican oil and gas companies?

CV: Holland House Mexico can contribute by sharing trusted contacts and offering quality networking and flex workspaces to Dutch companies. Next to this Holland House Mexico can support companies to establish a footprint in the country and assist with field knowledge.

RH: Holland House Mexico already does a great job with the Holland Pavilion at energy exhibitions and organizing conferences and breakfast meetings. An option could be to establish a connection point in the Netherlands where companies can go to for a first introduction with the Mexican market and have first face to face, before coming over to Mexico.

Naviera Integral
NAVIERA INTEGRAL is an independent Mexican company, founded in 1987 with the purpose of offering reliable and innovative maritime services with the highest quality standards. Values that have remained true until this day, by continuing to supply services to the country's oil industry with state-of-the-art vessels built by Damen. Our current fleet is of 37 ships and we have access to specialized and/or multipurpose vessels through partnership with the most recognized shipowners in the world. Integral has its own shipyard and maintenance shop operated by fully certified professionals. In addition to be exclusive distributor of Castrol marine lubricants. www.navinsa.com.mx

EMAR Offshore Services
EMAR Offshore Services is an independent, dedicated Maritime Service Company that helps oil, construction and mining companies meet their need for maritime knowledge and equipment. Driven by our team of experienced professionals and supported by our assets and large network of ship owners, we provide essential and cost-effective solutions to our clients worldwide. Headquartered in The Netherlands, we support and serve our international clients with branch offices located in Curacao and Ghana. We have operations in Central and South America, West Africa and Russia. www.emaroffshoreservices.com

Ondernemen in Mexico 

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