GAC extends global agency network to Bahamas

GAC’s global shipping network has been further strengthened with the signing of an alliance agreement with Bahamian agency Elnet Maritime Co. Ltd., to form GAC-Elnet, effective 1 March 2011.
Elnet Maritime Co. Ltd. was founded by shipping veteran Elbert ‘Ellie’ Hepburn in 2008 after serving a variety of top managerial positions at agencies in Grand Bahamas. Since then, the company has provided effective and efficient first-class agency services to Principals with vessels calling at ports throughout The Bahamas.
Customer-driven growth
Those credentials made Elnet the natural choice as a GAC Network Agent when the Group decided to expand its network to The Bahamas in response to the growing demands of its clients, in particular oil majors operating and using the country’s storage terminals.  
“Throughout its history, GAC’s growth has been opportunistic and customer-driven to meet the needs of our clients – and this latest move into The Bahamas is another example of that,” says Lars Heisselberg, GAC’s Group Vice President for the Americas.
“The professionalism and performance of Elnet Maritime make it an easy match to the values of GAC. Expansion in the Caribbean makes strong business, and Elnet Maritime is the ideal partner to help make that happen.”
Winning combination
Elbert Hepburn says: “Our local know-how and GAC’s global standing make GAC-Elnet a winning combination. Through this alliance we will be able to pursue international clients and GAC’s customers will benefit from our frontline expertise here in The Bahamas.”
Serving oil
GAC-Elnet is ideally placed to serve the needs of owners, operators and charterers with vessels calling at Bahamian oil terminals or the shipyard.
One of the key reasons GAC decided to expand its presence in The Bahamas was an expected rise in the demand for agency services, partly arising from an anticipated increase in use of the South Riding Point crude storage and transshipment terminal on Grand Bahamas, to supply refineries in the USA with crude oil and feedstock.
Kumar Ganesan, Business Manager at GAC’s Houston Hub Agency Centre says: “The local expertise and experience of Elnet Maritime to ensure the best front-line handling of all operational matters are complemented by the resources of GAC’s Global Hub Services to make a reliable service to all our Principals in The Bahamas.”
Source: GAC Group