Harding Awarded Important Framework Agreements

In the past few weeks, Harding has signed three big and strategically important framework agreements with Statoil, Petrobras and A.P. Møller Mærsk. 'This is fantastic news,' says Harding's CEO Styrk Bekkenes.

With the industry's biggest service network for maritime life-saving equipment, Harding is in a good position to carry out service and maintenance for vessels and offshore installations all over the world. These three new framework agreements mean that its global network will carry out regular assignments for the shipping giant A.P. Møller Mærsk and the oil companies Statoil and Petrobras in the next five years.

'This shows that our global strategy of being a complete supplier of both equipment and services was the right strategy for the company,' says Styrk Bekkenes, CEO of Harding.

Statoil is Harding's biggest client on the Norwegian continental shelf, with more than 120 lifeboat systems in operation. Statoil has now entered into a framework agreement with Harding for the delivery of new lifeboat systems, modifications, maintenance and onshore services. The agreement has a duration of five years, with an extension option for a further three plus three years.

Harding has signed a fleet service agreement with the Brazilian company Petrobras, the world's third biggest oil company. The agreement covers 68 lifeboats from different manufacturers. Thirteen of them are installed on platforms. Harding's task will be to carry out periodic inspections, testing and maintenance.

'This agreement is the beginning of a long-term collaboration with Petrobras and it is of great strategic value in relation to our focus on the Brazilian market,' Bekkenes emphasizes.

The global shipping giant A.P. Møller Mærsk has signed a framework agreement with Harding for the replacement of lifeboat hooks in its whole fleet. Initially, 82 vessels with a total of 164 lifeboats will be equipped with new hooks, which are vital components of the release systems for davit-launched lifeboats. With new hooks installed, the lifeboats will meet the new safety standards in the international MSC 1392 regulations. The framework agreement with A.P. Møller Mærsk also includes regular inspections of the life-saving equipment on all Mærsk vessels every fifth year, as well as the delivery of spare parts.

'This agreement with one of the world's biggest shipping and offshore companies is a real feather in Harding's cap. We have been working to secure this contract for a long time, naturally in keen competition with several other good tenderers, and I believe that our focus on being accessible for our global customers tipped the scales in our favor,' says Styrk Bekkenes.

Signed framework agreement with Statoil

On 22nd May, Statoil, who is Harding's biggest customer on the Norwegian shelf, with more than 120 operational lifeboat systems, entered into a framework agreement with Harding that encompasses deliveries of new lifeboat systems, modifications, maintenance, and onshore services. The agreement has a five-year span, with an option for a further three plus three years. 

"Reinforcing our partnership"

Styrk Bekkenes, Harding's CEO, is very happy with the framework agreement.

"We have collaborated with Statoil on the Norwegian shelf for many years, including on substantial field development projects such as Gullfaks, Oseberg and Troll. This framework agreement reinforces the partnership between Statoil and Harding, which, in essence, is about strengthening the level of safety for the many who work offshore on Statoil's installations, so that they are assured safe evacuation equipment in any weather conditions," says Bekkenes. 

New technology has made it possible to produce more oil and gas from fields that are already in production, a factor that has led to many Norwegian offshore installations and their lifeboat systems undergoing an upgrading program to increase service life. 

Norway, exporting safety

Harding is the global market leader for maritime lifesaving systems, with a solid track record of deliveries to offshore installations, cruise, and merchant vessels worldwide. The Norwegian shelf represents Harding's biggest single market for offshore products and services, and today the company has over 220 lifeboats in place on over 50 North Sea installations.

In 2011 Harding developed the FF1200, the first lifeboat system that met the requirements of the new Offshore Standard DNV-OS-E406. This standard was developed especially by the Norwegian offshore industry for the Norwegian shelf. As the global offshore industry gradually looks more and more to Norway as a safety at sea benchmark, the DNV-OS-E406 may also become a significant global driving force for the Norwegian offshore supply industry. Over the last two years, there has been a distinct trend, especially in the British and Australian sectors, for offshore projects outside the Norwegian shelf to be developed according to the DNV-OS-E406 specifications, as opposed to the normal IMO standard. 

Petrobras agreement elevates Harding's Brazil initiative

Petrobras, the world's third largest oil company and South America's largest industrial corporation, has given Harding the task of maintaining 68 lifeboats.

On Monday May 19th, Harding Safety Brazil signed a fleet service agreement with Petrobras that covers periodic maintenance of 68 lifeboats, supplied by various manufacturers. The framework agreement with the Brazilian oil giant is for the next five years.

"This is a very important contract for Harding in Brazil. Harding Safety Brazil is experiencing steady growth, and the agreement with Petrobras will further contribute to this growth,” says Raphael Maciel, Managing Director for Harding Safety Brazil.

Brazil is one of the fastest growing markets in the global oil and gas industry, and Harding is already established in two locations, with an office in Rio de Janeiro and a service station in Niterói.

"Our ability to be competitive in servicing equipment from other suppliers, combined with our extensive and well-established service network were determining factors for Petrobras' choice of Harding as maintenance partner for the 68 lifeboats," says Raphael Maciel. 

New framework agreement with Maersk

On Wednesday May 14th, a framework agreement was signed between A.P Møller Maersk A/S and all affiliated companies, and Harding Safety AS. The agreement covers the re-hooking of all vessels in the Maersk fleet in order to bring them into compliance with the MSC 1392 regulations on lifeboat release and retrieval systems. 

Of Maersk's total fleet, 82 vessels need to be re-hooked. This means that 164 lifeboats have to be equipped with new hooks. The agreement also includes regular five-yearly services and spare parts for the whole Maersk fleet to be provided by Harding Safety AS. 

Maersk is a truly global company whose fleet operates in all parts of the world. The reason for choosing Harding as its re-hooking and service supplier is partly that Harding is also a company with global coverage. Given that Maersk is one of the largest ship owners in the world, this is a very important agreement for Harding Safety.

‘Our ability to serve Maersk in almost any location puts us in a leading position compared to our competitors,’ says Mr Marcel Pex, Service Sales Director at Harding. He adds that, with this contract under its belt, Harding is now the leading company for the performance of re-hooking jobs and making vessels compliant with the MSC 1392 regulations. Having already performed a huge number of similar re-hooking jobs, Harding is able to offer very detailed pricing for such jobs.