V.Group buys Bibby Ship Management
Further consolidation in the shipmanagement sector has materialised with V.Group acquiring Bibby Ship Management, part of the Bibby Line Group.
Bibby Ship Management services all types of vessels but is best known for its expertise in handling offshore vessels. Its 332 personnel in the UK, Isle of Man, Sweden, Ukraine, India, Philippines and Singapore also provides extensive crew management solutions, technical support services, marine travel, marine surveying, training and recruitment services.
“We believe our combined capabilities offer a compelling outsourcing proposition to our clients, helping optimise operating and budgetary performance for shipowners,” said Clive Richardson, V.Group CEO.
V.Group’s move extends its lead as the world’s largest shipmanager, something that was challenged last year with the merger between two Hong Kong shipmanagement giants, Anglo-Eastern and Univan.
Speaking with Splash, Manish Singh, V. Group’s director of strategy and M&A, said: “Market conditions and customers’ strategic requirements are conducive to further consolidation in the shipmanagement and marine services sector.”