Towage specialists Buksér og Berging and Svitzer join forces
Towage and marine solutions provider Svitzer Group A/S (Svitzer) has acquired a 66.6% stake in leading Norwegian towage and marine service company Buksér og Berging AS, subject to final regulatory approvals.
Buksér og Berging AS is a leading supplier of marine services within port and terminals, towage, offshore work and complex marine operations in Norway.
Founded in 1913, it has an advanced fleet of about 35 tugs, 25 pilot boats, three ambulance vessels and one service vessel for salmon farming (delousing vessel). It is headquartered in Oslo, Norway with branch offices in Stavanger and Fedje, outside Bergen.
Vetle J. Sverdrup, CEO of Buksér og Berging, will continue in his role and maintains a 33.4% shareholding position and active ownership of the business.
Sverdrup said:
“Our leadership in the Norwegian towage and marine contracting markets is built on our values, tradition and the extensive operational and technical knowledge of our capable teams and their drive to solve challenges for customers.
“The investment by Svitzer presents an opportunity to continue our legacy and deepen our capabilities with a strategic partner that is a highly regarded, global company with long-term ambitions for Buksér og Berging’s success.”
Founded in 1833, Svitzer is a leading global port and terminal infrastructure provider, serving approximately 2,000 customers in 141 ports and 40 terminals across 37 countries through a fleet of 446 vessels from its base in Copenhagen.
Svitzer’s investment represents a partnership opportunity for both companies, with a view to leverage extensive shared knowledge and experience of the global towage, offshore, adjacent maritime service and marine solution markets.
There is no integration activities related to the transaction for either company and Buksér og Berging will continue to operate as a standalone company under its own brand, management, values and strategy.
Kasper Nilaus, Svitzer CEO, commented:
“Buksér og Berging, like Svitzer, has a proud heritage, and our investment is an exciting opportunity for us to join forces and share our respective expertise and leadership positions in the towage and maritime infrastructure markets.
“I am confident together we will drive innovation and growth for both companies, further cement our decarbonisation credentials, and above all strengthen the value, safety and service offered to customers and their supply chains.”