Cassar Marine Group has built a strong reputation for providing a diverse range of marine-based services. Over the years, the group has expanded the capabilities in its portfolio, in order to answer the demands of its customers.
Having recently added another string to its bow, Cassar’s CEO Andrea Cassar revealed the details, during an in-depth interview with Inside Marine. Report by Imogen Ward.
From dredging to ship repair, and everything in between, Cassar Marine Group has worked hard to build up a portfolio of companies that can do it all. Known as a one-stop-shop for marine services.
“Although the group was established in 1962, It wasn’t until 1967 that my father Tony and his brother Charles decided to open it up in a more professional way
by establishing Cassar Enterprises,” explained CEO Andrea Cassar. “At the time, it was still a small repair and maintenance boatyard, but there was a very big passion for the marine industry here in Malta, and that’s where it kicked off.”
Cassar went on to acquire a 1,000-tonne floating dock in the 1990s. This investment opened new doors for the group, which was now able to complete much larger
ship repairs. Unfortunately, tragedy struck not long after and the dock sunk in the Bay of Biscay.
Despite this challenge, Cassar saw it as an opportunity to go bigger and bolder, purchasing a 5,000-tonne floating dock in 1996. This bolstered the progress of Cassar’s ship repair division even further.
“Since then, we haven’t looked back,” said Ms Cassar. “We’ve been doing a lot of ship repair work, and we still have that same floating dock today.”
Expanding once more
The company also made several acquisitions that enabled it to diversify its capabilities. Today, the group has
a fleet of vessels dedicated to dredging works, underwater works, marine construction and offshore support.
“Since the ‘70s, we haven’t stopped growing because we haven’t stopped investing,” revealed Ms Cassar. “Every few years, we make a new investment, entering different areas within the marine industry, starting with ship repair, then dredging, we even have our own hopper and crane barges now as well.”
Keen to carry on the trend, Cassar completed another major investment last year. Having already dipped its toe into oil spill response in the past, the group acquired Saltwave Limited to advance its presence in this area.
“Last year was really the turning point for Cassar’s experience within oil spill prevention,” explained Ms Cassar. “We felt the island needed a professional company that specialised in just oil response, and taking over Saltwave really allowed us to fill that gap.
“We invested heavily in a new factory, and we have standby agreements with ships and port facilities to provide a reliable and efficient 24/7 service.
“The establishment of our oil spill division was several years in the making, because we wanted to get it right. We believe that everyone should maintain a commitment to safeguarding the environment, and that’s why we offer oil prevention, maintenance and cleaning services. We are essentially the one-stop shop when it comes to oil spills.”
Investing for the community
Cassar also added a new seaseven jack-up barge to its fleet in 2022. This was a huge achievement, not only for Cassar but for the whole of Malta, as it is the first of its kind in the country.
“This was a real gamechanger for Malta,” said Ms Cassar. “Previously, a lot of marine construction work would get delayed due to poor weather conditions, but the jackup barge ensured construction companies could remain on time with their projects.”
The barge is currently on charter in Libya for a large Turkish construction company, which is one contract that Ms Cassar hopes will continue far into the future: “This construction company has a lot of different projects ongoing, and we would really like to extend this to a long-term charter with this company.
“While out on charter we carry out the entire operation, provide the crews and monitor all the work being carried out.”
Another exciting investment is currently underway at Cassar Ship Repair. The group’s ship repair division is constructing new workshops at its shipyard in Marsa. Alongside the new workshops, the company has also invested in all new equipment and a brand-new overhead crane lift – perfect for transporting machinery onto the workshop floor.
True team spirit
Of course, none of these investments would have been possible without the support of Cassar’s suppliers and clients . As a family-run business, the company pays close attention to their needs and goes above and beyond to provide a world-class service.
“Having a family-centric ethos really makes all the difference,” explained Ms Cassar. “We really immerse ourselves into the projects and commit to the
visions of our clients with a keen attention to detail. And obviously, we have grown up in this business, so we understand it inside and out.”
More recently, Cassar attended Posidonia to meet up with these companies in person.
“Posidonia was great, especially for Cassar Ship Repair,” commented Ms Cassar. “We met some great people and made some really good contacts for spare parts supplies. The chartering division also had a very successful time at the show, gaining lots of new contacts with brokers and agents.
“We also met with a lot of our current clients. Companies from all over the world attend Posidonia, so it is a great meeting point for our suppliers, partners and clients. We work regularly with these individuals , but we never get to meet them face-to-
face, so we are truly thankful for this opportunity. There was also a heatwave over the weekend, so it was incredibly hot, but totally worth it.”
As Cassar carries on with its journey of investment, it is determined to continue improving its customer service to maintain a place amongst the best in the industry.
“We are determined to give the best service to the shipping industry by utilising the latest machinery, keeping our personnel happy and embracing flexibility,” added Ms Cassar, in conclusion.
“The Cassar workforce is highly specialised and multi-skilled, which really enables us to stand out amongst the crowd. Being able to work with these people and spearhead such amazing projects is truly a privilege and one I am so grateful for.”
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