Major opportunities for locals as intl transport, logistics company launched in Guyana

Denmark-based international transport and logistics company, Blue Water Shipping, has officially launched its service in Guyana.
With 65 offices worldwide, Blue Water Shipping is known for handing large cargos for the oil and gas industry. The Danish company, earlier this year, partnered with Guyanese-owned Falcon Logistics Inc, to further enhance services to the local petroleum sector.

Thursday evening’s launch was a celebration of that partnership between the two companies.
Chief Operations Officer – Energy, Port & Projects at Blue Water, Thomas Bek, said entering the Guyana market is another substantial commitment for the Danish company in the Caribbean Region.
He underscored the importance of logistics and welcomed the more than 50 Guyanese onboard the Blue Water Shipping Guyana operations.
“We are proud to have Falcon Logistics team join the Blue Water family, which will provide global reach to already expansive Falcon Logistics product. This newly formed Guyanese-owned company (Blue Water Shipping Guyana) not only complies with the full spirit of Guyana’s Local Content legislation but creates an abundance of opportunities for local Guyanese people within this industry,” Bek noted.
In fact, the first two Guyanese employees have already been selected to join the Blue Water Shipping Management Training Programme. This is a two-year combination of study in logistics, and on the job training around the world.
The two employees have commenced training and already travelled to Denmark for a two-week training at the company’s Business Academy. As part of the two-year programme, these beneficiaries will spend the first year working in Guyana followed by one year abroad in company offices such as Singapore, Houston, Dubai or Rio de Janeiro.

According to the COO, many more Guyanese are expected to benefit from this programme in the future.
Meanwhile, both the Chairwoman of Blue Water Shipping Board of Directors, Anne Skov, and co-founder of Falcon Logistics, Jennifer Falconer, have lauded the fact that the two companies have shared values and missions.
“To me, the values are the most important thing as it is the foundation of doing business together. Blue Water is a family-owned company… throughout the years, Blue Water has grown and we have become an international company with may employees and offices around the world. The core values of our company are still very strong values – our team spirit and our dedication to serve our customers,” Skov noted.
She noted that the ambition when the company was started by her father 50 years ago was to be the best in town in Denmark. Now, the aim is to be the best in Guyana.
On the other hand, Falconer noted that her company has grown over the past nine years by servicing the local extractive sector and is now looking to expand into the oil and gas industry by joining forces with Blue Water Shipping.
“This new venture, with a company that has the capability and the sterling reputation as Blue Water Shipping, was the next logical step for our expansion. Blue Water Shipping shares the same values as Falcon… This unification, I am confident, will allow us to expand our reach and compete on the regional and international stage, and create even more market leadership. We both bring a wealth of experience to the table so I have no doubt that together, we can take on the market with renewed vigour,” Falconer posited.
In recent years, Blue Water has strengthened and expanded its activities in Guyana and the Caribbean Region. Blue Water handles large volumes of cargo for the oil and gas sector into Guyana and with the acquisition of Falcon, the company has expanded the range of services to include shore base, warehousing, trucking, laydown management, heavy haulage and lifting project-related business into and out of Georgetown.
Founded in 2013, Falcon is a 100 per cent Guyanese employee company based on strong values and supporting the oil and gas sector in the region. Under the structure of the acquisition, Blue Water Guyana will remain majority Guyanese owned, maintaining full compliance with local content law. (G8)