New Integrated Marine Services Provider Gainde Marine Offshore Makes Senegalese Local Content Headway 

Launching this year, Gainde Marine Offshore is set to revolutionize the offshore services game in Senegal with a fully integrated “one-stop shop” model and unparalleled local expertise. Its founder, Youssou Diop, is a Senegalese engineer with a decade’s global experience in maritime works previously having founded and lead Helix SEN- a leader in marine procurement and repair for all purposes across the MSGBC area. Gainde Marine’s own scope of services extends beyond this to freight forwarding and customs clearances, staff offshore transport and maritime security, fuel bunkering and routine shipping/ logistics- the full package provided through a package of self-owned licenses.

In the past five years, Senegal has taken a regional lead in its strengthening of local content legislation. Under this system devised and enforced by the CNSCL committee, local content law segments into three divisions dubbed ‘regimes.’ The open regime allows international bidders full access to contracts, the mixed regime targets partnerships between foreign multinationals and local companies whilst the exclusive regime remains the sole dominion of these local traders. The key point to note is that Gainde Marine’s business in offshore services including vessel chartering falls under the exclusive regime, allowing the company an unprecedented opportunity to capitalize off of a burgeoning domestic oil and gas industry whose fresh services market is now reserved for local businesses.

In Youssou’s words: “Senegal’s local content laws are one of the greatest advancement the country’s industry has seen in the past five years. We have the networks, we have the expertise, but we still need to develop local resources to compete with the large foreign companies. The goal of local content frameworks is not to force the oil and gas majors, or IOCs, but rather to make them aware that when they come here to Senegal, they can find local companies complying with the international standards requirements to work alongside with the local permits, reliable vessels, expertise and innovation to make things easier for them. And so far, our new laws are succeeding. It was time for the winds of change to blow and push forward Senegalese companies and expertise, and that is what we’ve seen.”

Already, Gainde are in talks with several undisclosed potential strategic partners and other sectoral stakeholders, seeking further ties with foreign investment and making use of its veteran executives’ contacts abroad in America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Also, they hold a panoply of local operating licenses giving them full scope of works, the ultimate goal being to provide the highest world-class quality of services in Senegal and across the region, even staffing internationally.

As Youssou puts it: “Senegalese oil and gas is a young sector but the attractiveness of the country for business is evident. We have a strong, stable political scene and have never experienced war. After all this is the Land of Teranga, the Land of Hospitality.” The company’s name also derives from a local word: “Gainde” meaning “lion,” inspired by an Ernest Hemingway quote which captures the spirit of Gainde Marine Offshore:

“The old man never dreamed of a storm again, nor of great events, nor of fights, nor of tests of strength. He dreamed only of landscapes and lions by the sea.” On a continent fraught with challenges for business and in an industry prone to a certain volatility, this peace of mind from a top quality, reliable, full integrated marine services experience is what Gainde Marine offers – a no fret solution for fresh and established players in the country’s emerging mega-industry.

For more information about Gainde Marine, visit gaindemarine.com.