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Regional Focus

Norway

W

Pay peanuts, get monkeys

ith almost 75% of GDP in supplier industry”. “We are still living in whether a ship supplier operates in the

the Norwegian maritime an oil and gas bubble in Norway and north or south of the country.
cluster being offshore related,
Describing some further challenges although suppliers are a little worried

ship suppliers are keenly focusing their ahead, Ms Eggen said: “Within the ship about these trends, they all report an all

attentions on this sector but according to supply sector, we exhort our members to time high,” Ms Eggen said.
Marit Eggen, Secretary General, Norske Due to the fact that Norway is not part refrain from working with ship owners

Maritime Leverandører (Norwegian of the EU, Norwegian Maritime Suppliers who have perpetual credit terms. It
Maritime Suppliers), shifting dynamics in has also been monitoring the framework doesn’t hurt to be a little more discerning

the Norwegian oil and gas industry have which EU suppliers work under, in an about who we do business with. It’s better
left suppliers concerned.
effort to ensure Norwegian suppliers have safe than sorry – use the ISSA Register to

as good as, if not better conditions than find good business partners and open Ms Eggen noted how a major
their EU neighbours. Concerning doors for each other. Raising the offshore company, with 80% of its

legislation on customs, Ms Eggen also standards of shipping companies and production operations on the Norwegian
noted how differences in the way rules are other entities is important and realising continental shelf, has ‘rocked the boat’ by

interpreted at various customs stations has that everyone around the table is changing its strategy to perform

been another challenge for suppliers and depending on their business for their maintenance work in-house in a bid to
Norwegian Maritime Suppliers is working livelihood. If you pay peanuts, you get reduce external costs by 30%, bringing
monkeys.”
to ensure uniform treatment, regardless of
“serious negative consequences for the
I

2014 Issue 60 The SHIP Supplier 17