published Mon, February 13, 2012
SIS sets up home in Brazil
Star Information Systems (SIS), a market leader in the supply of software and services for technical ship and rig management, is delighted to announce that it is establishing a new base in Rio de Janeiro to serve Brazil’s thriving offshore sector.
SIS has sent Hans-Kristian Fjaerem, one of the firm's most
experienced consultants, to lead the operation, recruit a local
team, and service SIS' growing portfolio of customers in the
region.
The pace of economic change in Brazil - now the sixth largest
global economy - has been accelerated by the discovery of huge oil
and gas reserves in the country's pre-salt basin, opening up an
array of opportunities for national and international offshore
operators.
SIS has been servicing clients in the region for the past five
years, but is now investing in a permanent office to ensure that
its customers there - such as Norsul, Teekay Petrojarl, Farstad
Shipping, Solstad Offshore, Ocean Rig, BW Offshore, and Siem
Offshore - get the best possible service, from a dedicated,
local team of professionals.
Senior advisor Hans-Kristian Fjaerem, a key figure at SIS over
his 12 years with the business, sees massive potential for the
market, and for SIS itself:
"We have had activities in Brazil for some time, but we felt the
exceptional growth of the market, particularly with regard to the
oil and gas sectors, meant that the time was right to commit to a
permanent base.
He continues: "We're looking to build a full-service company
there providing all the services that we currently provide from
Norway - that's advisory services, project management, support,
implementation, training and sales across all of our software
modules.
"These cover CMMS and asset management, QHSE, fleet supply
management, project management, document management, KPIs
dashboards, and more.
"Having a local team on the ground, with local industry and
language abilities will give our Brazilian and international
customers a valuable point of access to SIS and our product range,
while helping us to take advantage of an exciting and fast
developing marketplace."
SIS' existing clients in the region are in agreement with
Fjaerem, with Knut Olsen, CMMS Manager at Siem Offshore, and
Roar Bye, Operations Strategy and Support Manager Teekay
Petrojarl, throwing their support behind the development of the
permanent base.
Siem Offshore currently has five vessels operating in Brazilian
waters and Olsen welcomes SIS' arrival.
"It's very important for us to have access to local support,
consultation and training," he says, "so it'll be great to have SIS
in the area."
Bye adds that his firm will require local system support as it
looks to build up its operations in the region.
"Brazil is a prioritized area," he explains, " and it's
important, as we expand, to have the right training and courses on
the ground there, preferably in Portuguese."
Initial plans are for a team of five to six Brazilian based SIS
professionals under Fjaerem's direction. As well as offshore, the
recruits will also be focusing on the country's dynamic shipping
sector.
"We've got a good, loyal group of customers in Brazil and this
is our chance to really give them a first-class service," Fjaerem
concludes. "From my own personal point of view, it's also a great
opportunity to build something new for SIS. I'm very much looking
forward to that challenge."
Date: 13/02/2012