Subsea Industries agents in Norway and China

As mentioned in the recent overview of our agent network, in upcoming issues of the magazine and newsletter we will introduce you to many of our agents around the world. We are starting with Norway and China.

GearConsult, Oslo, Norway

GearConsult AS in Oslo, Norway, is a relatively recent agency for Subsea Industries. The relationship began in 2019 after meeting at the Nor-Shipping trade show.

GearConsult began promoting drive train components and solutions to the Norwegian maritime industry for RENK many years ago. Eleven years ago, Ludvig Nyquist, the current owner and CEO, took over the company from his father. He has since expanded its range of representations, focusing on green, maritime technologies. Subsea Industries with its non-toxic corrosion protection and hull performance coatings was a natural fit, as was Hydrex for underwater maintenance and repair.

“Ecospeed sounded too good to be true,” says Ludvig. “But after hearing about it I traveled to the company headquarters in Antwerp. Seeing Ecospeed on the Hydrex workboats and watching it being washed with steel brushes was pretty compelling and convincing. The whole philosophy behind it being non-polluting and long-lasting was really in line with what I believe in and with our wanting to focus on green products.”

Brim Explorer

GearConsult introduced Subsea Industries and Ecospeed to Brim Explorer, a Norwegian tourism and ship-owning company operating hybrid-electric and electric ships. The company offers silent, sustainable and innovative experiences at sea in Northern Norway and, more recently, also in Oslo.  Their third ship, MS Brisen operating in Oslo, is completely electric. Their ships are designed for the best experience for the guests while creating minimal impact on the environment.

“In 2018 I got to know the owners of Brim Explorer at a shipping event,” recalls Ludvig. “When I met Subsea Industries at Nor-Shipping in 2019 and learned about Ecospeed, I thought that it would be a perfect product for Brim Explorer. They were also at Nor-Shipping so I introduced the two companies.  When it came time to build Brisen in 2022 they were very clear that they would use Ecospeed on this vessel.” The application was very successful and Brim Explorer will also use Ecospeed on their next two newbuildings.

“With Ecospeed we eliminate all chemical emissions to the sea, preventing harmful chemicals from disturbing the fragile ecosystems in the areas in which we operate,” says Espen Larsen-Hakkebo, CEO and Co-founder of Brim Explorer. “Our business is creating unforgettable experiences: it only makes sense to do this causing as little impact to the environment as possible. Ecospeed is therefore our preferred choice over any antifouling system.”

Nick DeLashmutt, project manager at Brødrene Aa, the shipyard that built the Brisen, was very satisfied with how the project was handled. “We appreciate the good cooperation and support from GearConsult and Subsea Industries throughout the various project phases which helped contribute to the successful application of Ecospeed,” says Nick.

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“What I like the most about representing Subsea Industries is the whole philosophy and the background of developing this coating to reduce the environmental impact of the vessel on the oceans and the fact that the company is really devoted to that,” says Ludvig. “If Hydrex gets a request to clean a vessel they won’t do it if it’s got antifouling on the hull because of the pollution. The companies are not just thinking of profit. It’s the whole philosophy behind it.”

Subsea Industries and Hydrex recently joined GearConsult in their booth at Nor-Shipping 2023 and were able to introduce many new prospects to Subsea Industries’ innovative coating solutions. We see a great future in our collaboration with Ludvig and GearConsult.

Carich, Dalian, China

Carich Marine Engineering (HK) Co., Ltd. is a Sino-European company, active in shipbuilding since 2000 and formally established in Dalian, China in 2004. In addition to its headquarters in Dalian in the north of China, Carich has had a branch office in Shanghai in south China since 2013 so as to build a sales network all over China.

Lisa Shen has been the Office Manager for over 12 years and is our main point of contact at Carich in Dalian.

“From the very beginning, Carich focused on cooperating with some specialized suppliers with high quality standards in Europe,” explains Lisa. “In 2004, we were honored to be appointed by Subsea Industries as authorized agent in China. Since then we have enjoyed a very pleasant and successful cooperation.”

“Carich has been building an excellent cooperation between shipyards on the one hand and our principals on the other. So far the most important references of Subsea products are in the areas of Shanghai, Guangzhou, Dalian, Liaoning Province, Shandong Province and Jiangsu Province, among others,” continues Lisa.

“As the agent, we maintain close contact with all existing and potential customers, frequently visiting design offices, shipyards, ship owners and domestic dredging companies. We also often attend marine exhibitions, China International Petroleum & Petrochemical, Technology and Equipment Exhibition, and others, with Subsea Industries representatives when possible.”

Carich has also always provided invaluable assistance with imports, delivery, dealing with shipyards, and generally with doing business in China. Manuel Hof, Sales and Production Exec for Subsea Industries says, “It would be very difficult for us to function in China without the assistance of our agents, Carich Marine Engineering. They facilitate the entire process from sale through to final delivery and inspection and collections where needed.”

A good example was two newbuild projects for EXMAR which were built at the Wison shipyard in China, both of which had Ecolock applied to their hulls. Carich not only was instrumental in selling the coating to the shipyard, but also with the delivery, including providing a highly qualified paint inspector for the jobs.

“For this project, we spent almost two years winning the order, including following up on phones, by emails, paying visits to the yard, technical explanation in the marine exhibition, and so on,” Lisa recalls. “In addition to the outstanding technical advantage, I think our working attitude was also an important factor for Wison to choose us finally. We paid attention to each request from the customer, and we tried our best to find the best solution for them. We are energetic, professional and reliable.”

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“As a result of Subsea products’ high performance levels, our company’s reputation and influence have increased in China, which also help us win more business,” says Lisa. “Based on that, we can work extensively with a number of shipyards all over the country and even in other countries in Asia. All the customers are very satisfied with our products and service.”

“Since 2004 Carich as well as myself personally have benefited greatly from the collaboration with Subsea, working in coordination with mutual respect. I look forward to many more years of the collaboration. The Carich team will continue with our efforts for Subsea Industries in Dalian, Shanghai and all over China so that Subsea can boom in China,” says Lisa.

We are fortunate to have such enterprising, hardworking and pleasant agents in China. They make a big difference in how Subsea Industries operates in that country.

A full list of our agents and offices can be found on our contact page.

You can also contact us directly.
+32 3 213 53 18
info@subind.net