Energy and marine consultancy ABL has expanded its global presence with a new office in New Zealand, to support the country’s significant maritime and offshore energy markets.
ABL New Zealand will offer the company’s full range of energy and marine consultancy services, with a particular focus on bringing ABL’s more than 150 years of legacy in marine surveying and consulting to support the country’s maritime industries.
It will support the local market in its renewables and decarbonisation initiatives with the company’s multi-disciplined energy transition engineering services, including expertise in emissions consulting and electrification, ABL said.
The new office will specialise in services including technical due diligence, technical advisory and management consultancy, vessel and yacht surveys, safety and compliance audits, ports & harbours consultancy, marine warranty survey and marine casualty management.
The office will be led by experienced maritime professional Morwenna Vye (pictured).
Master Mariner Vye has been appointed as country lead. She brings almost 20 years of experience in shipyard management, super yachts builds and brokerage.
She has worked as a maritime regulator and investigator and has accreditation in ISM and ISO auditing.
Vye joins ABL from the government agency Maritime New Zealand (MNZ).
She said: “New Zealand, with its size and strategic location in the South Pacific, is a pivotal hub for maritime activities, including shipping, with 99.7% of NZ’s trade transported by sea.
“Given the country’s unique characteristics – its size, isolation, and reliance on international trade – offering a comprehensive range of consultancy services represents an exciting opportunity for ABL. I am very excited to take on this new role.”
Simon Healey, ABL’s regional managing director for Asia-Pacific, added: “Establishing a market presence in New Zealand is the natural next step for ABL, following almost 40 years of growth in the region.
“This move better enables us to provide our global service offering via local expertise, supporting more clients, more rapidly and across more markets.
“The new office also provides a platform off which to launch our market-leading renewable energy consultancy to support New Zealand’s promising offshore wind potential.”
ABL has been operational in Australasia since 1988, born out of the presence of AqualisBraemar and LOC. The company’s regional headquarter is located in Perth, with further offices in Sydney and Melbourne.
Part of global consultancy ABL Group ASA, it is joined in the region by sister companies, the renewable energy consultants – OWC, wells and reservoir management experts – AGR, and the Group’s design house – Longitude Engineering.
ABL New Zealand is located at Mount Maunganui, New Zealand.