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gap between technology and human skills is widening exponentially.” How can this gap be eliminated, or at least minimized, both for your company and the indus- try as a whole?

It is key to ensure the staff are adequately and regularly trained to perform their tasks as the human and ? nancial cost of accidents could be severe. Also we need to make sure the technology we adopt is reliable and that does not necessarily mean having the most sophisticated technol- ogy.

What new technologies are you looking at implement- ing in your ? eet? What major advances in tech have helped your business the most in recent years?

We are currently looking towards enhancing the energy ef- ? ciency of our ships and lowering fuel consumption. Bun- kers are typically the biggest cost for a client. By improv- ing ef? ciency of the vessels, we are trying to reduce the opex and also the environmental footprint. Additionally, technology is a great enabler for safe operations by look- ing at redundancy through DP2 capability. The latest tech- nology paints for the hulls and the implementation Energy

Management Systems within our ? eet are also initiatives we are looking at.

What did you learn at the Annual Offshore Support

Vessels Forum?

The challenges for our industry are likely to last in the short to medium term. Our attendance at the forum was a great opportunity to listen to our peers and discuss with them ways to make the best out of a bad market situation.

It also offered us the chance to review the latest technolo- gies in our ? eld and promote the Halul and Milaha brand.

When you look at the world, where do you see oppor- tunities for growth?

As of now all regions are holding back due to the oil price.

Once there is stability in the oil price, we will get a bet- ter view of the growth opportunities. However, Africa re- mains an attractive market in the long run.

What will your company look like 5 years from now? 10 years?

Halul and Milaha will only be bigger, better and stronger with the best in class standards. While this is easier said than done, we believe that the reputation we have garnered through the years and our ? nancial strength will allow us to achieve our growth plans in the coming years.

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