Reborn Heidmar is developing its tanker fleet and is expanding into more carriers and offshore technical services.
The measures are part of the company’s long-term strategy to establish a one-stop-shop service that extends throughout the region.
The aim is to manage the overall investment of the customer, from shipbuilding to trade and technical management to treasury and accounting.
“We are building a platform for services,” Kana said in a telephone interview from the Athens office.
Investors then said, “They have to decide what they want to buy and when to buy and when to sell – we will do the rest of the work between us.”
Heidmar was believed to be on the verge of closing last year after his ex-wife, George, split the economy with the ship’s manager and tanker operator.
But in November, Kana, who was then CEO, took full control of the company and promised to rebuild it.
The company originally partnered with Athens Pool operator Signal Maritime. However, that collaboration is no longer active.
Heidmar has since expanded its fleet to 25 ships. These are grouped into two operating pools — one for suezmaxes and the other for LR2s — or under a simple vanilla business management.
Clients include Moundreas Family Company NGM Energy, Likmar Tanks, Cosco Shipping Energy, Qatar Milaha and Turkey Active Shipping and Management.
“We grew the fleet quickly, quadrupled in six to eight months,” Kana said.
The company employs about 20 people, 10 in the southern Athens neighborhood of Glifada, and the rest in Singapore and London.
Heydmar has finally begun to integrate the building blocks that will enable it to become a full-fledged service provider.
One step is to manage bullies.
“I have hired a wholesale charter manager, and he will start at the end of the month,” said Kanaana.
The idea is to start a business with boats and then try to build pools.
“We are already talking about putting ships on the dry side,” Kana said.
Another area is beach technical services.
TECHARM SERVICES – New Heidmar Sub – Scott Hamilton has been appointed Director of Global Projects to assist with procurement and secure new business.
Industrial veteran Hamilton has managed projects and assets with leading oil and gas contractors and service companies such as Merseyside Drilling, Transocean and ATEC Global Services.
The first fruits of the appointment came when Techmar announced that it has acquired a majority stake in the International 1 IRM in the offshore oil and gas industry, a Singapore-based technical service provider.
The investment is to return to the shores of Canada, the former CEO of Ocean Rig in the United States.
Global 1 IRM offers related skills such as brown field installation improvements and upgrades, termination of beach facilities, maintenance, beach coverage and inspections.
The biggest selling point, however, is e-learning safety courses that apply to all types of shipping.
“Most of the deaths on ships are related to suffocation in confined spaces and most injuries are due to slips, trips and falls — they have related e-learning courses and you can learn the lessons on the ship efficiently,” Kana said.
Heydmar is working to gain accreditation for these courses.
“My idea is to use this as a basis for other things, such as ballast water treatment plants, sanitation and repairs,” Kana said. We have a big business to grow there.
He said one or two more purchases are already in the pipeline, but talks to complete it could take until the end of the year.