The company’s last investment was a new bunker vessel to be deployed in southern Italy but for the Naples-based Garolla Group further diversification and opportunities are still to come either for the tanker business (operated through Sarda Bunkers) and in the offshore market (where the group is active with Med Offshore). The fleets are respectively made up of four small tankers and three AHTSs.
Carlo Garolla, chairman of Sarda Bunkers, tells Maritime CEO: “The recent purchase of the SB Alisea bunker vessel is a remarkable move for our company, not only in terms of quality of the ship but particularly because it confirms our group’s intention to continue betting on the development of our business in southern Italy, despite the crisis of shipping and cargo volumes in the port of Naples and Salerno”.
Carlo Garolla is at the helm of the company together with his son Andrea and his cousin Federico.
Following the last purchase of the small tanker SB Alisea the Garolla family seems to be still on the market for catching new opportunities potentially arising.
“We are currently monitoring the global offshore scenario, paying particular attention to oil price fluctuations and are ready to seal innovative investments,” says Garolla. “We are definitely ready to make further investments. We might diversify in different market segments, should there be any interesting opportunities; we’ve been attentively evaluating the LNG development as future alternative fuel for some time”.
Andrea Garolla, who is also chairman of the national young shipowners association in Italy, reckons: “The Italian shipping industry has generations of know-how on which to build for the future. In particular know how to structure companies in the best way to secure investments and manage vessels efficiently. Family companies will in future not necessarily own vessels 100%, but act as skilled managers, especially where specialised ship types are concerned.”
