Zamil Offshore Services Co is a prominent name within the Saudi Arabian offshore market. Known for having the largest jack-up rig fleet in the KSA, the company has been on a winning streak over the last few years. General Manager of the Marine Operations Division Babak Jabbari revealed all during an in-depth interview. Report by Imogen Ward.
After a rocky few years, support service vessel operator Zamil Offshore Services Co is back on top.
“Six to eight years ago, the market was not favourable, but we have since turned things around for the company,” explained General Manager of the Marine Operations Division Babak Jabbari. “We remodelled our revenue streams and our fleet, while also capturing the jack-up market in Saudi Arabia.”
Today, the company has 19 jack-up barges, making it the largest jack-up operator within the Kingdom. As part of
its remodelling plan, Zamil also extended its presence in other areas, successfully doubling its diving fleet.
Dedicated digitalisation
Another key investment undertaken by the company revolves around digitalisation. After seeing a need to improve its fleet management, Zamil implemented TM Master on all its ships. This digital ship management system provides datadriven preventative, corrective and condition-based maintenance. By using this system, Zamil benefits from reduced
risk, more effective and economical procurement, and better-informed crews.
“We initially started this project before Covid, but it was unfortunately delayed due to the pandemic,” commented Mr Jabbari. “So, the final system wasn’t actually installed until this year.”
This is not the only step that Zamil has taken to improve its operations. The company also developed its own dashboard dedicated to the remote monitoring of its vessels.
Currently operational on four of Zamil’s vessels, the dashboard tracks important
data sets to keep the owners informed and up to date.
“This is a very unique system, which we are incredibly proud of,” said Mr Jabbari, “and it actually evolved from Aramco requesting fuel monitoring and remote monitoring on their vessels. After looking at our options, we decided that we wouldn’t stop there, because we wanted to create a dashboard that consolidated all kinds of data. From weather alerts and CCTV to condition-based maintenance, fuel consumption and CO 2 emissions, we wanted Aramco to have easy access to it all.
“Developing the dashboard itself was a huge undertaking, but we managed it with the help of our partners Inmarsat, AVEVA and Hallin.”
Zamil does everything possible to stay ahead of its customers’ needs. Whether it is close interaction or daily calls, the company goes above and beyond to ensure its customers feel heard. This dedication was especially helpful during the Kingdom-wide implementation of Saudization. Saudization, or the Saudi Nationalisation Program, is a Kingdom-wide initiative implemented by the Ministry of Labour, which requires companies to hire Saudi nationals.
“We were well ahead of Saudization; we knew that it was going to be a requirement, and we were already training Saudi nationals at the time,” explained Mr Jabbari. “We were the exact same way with environmental standards, becoming the first company to gain its ISO certification based on the IAOGP’s guidelines.
“We have an experienced team who has operated all over the world, and regularly encounters new elements that we are yet to implement. As a company, Zamil is always quick to take new market developments on board, often before our clients have even asked for them.”
Here in the Kingdom, our waters are much calmer and shallower compared to the North Sea and the South China Sea, and vessel designs are mainly targeted towards operators who are working in these deep waters.
Elevating the environment
When it comes to sustainability, the company has dedicated employees focused on waste management, it makes sure to vet all its recycling streams and works hard to find new and inventive ways to reduce waste.
Zamil is fully committed to advancing its environmental credentials, particularly when it comes to reducing fuel consumption and CO 2 emissions.
“We have developed new hull designs, which are perfect for our seas,” revealed Mr Jabbari. “Here in the Kingdom, our waters are much calmer and shallower compared to the North Sea and the South China Sea, and vessel designs are mainly targeted towards operators who are working in these deep waters.
“Those hulls don’t provide any benefits to our clients’ operations, so we
created a much leaner and more fuelefficient alternative.”
So far, feedback for this design has been very positive, although there is still a long way to go. With the design breaking away from the norm, some industry professionals have been reluctant to get behind it.
“Certain people look at the power output of a vessel using our hull, and they find it hard to believe that it requires so little,” said Mr Jabbari. “So, it’s just a matter of showcasing what it is capable of.”
Ever innovative, Zamil intends to take its enthusiasm and flair to several industry events this year, one being the hotly anticipated ADIPEC.
“We love to meet new clients and catch up with our existing ones,” commented Mr Jabbari. “And events like ADIPEC are a great opportunity to do this. We attend this event every year, and always have
a great time. Another fantastic exhibition that always draws us in is the Saudi Maritime Conference. It is always excellent value and focuses specifically on the Saudi maritime sector, meaning everyone we meet is there for the same reason.”
Constant collaboration
Everything that Zamil has achieved so far has been accomplished with the help of its amazing suppliers.
“Zamil excels in being flexible and has always been great when it comes to making quick decisions, which has really helped us stand out against the competition,” said Mr Jabbari. “However, another hugely i mportant factor are our suppliers. Like everything in life, there are good times and bad times in business, and good suppliers
will stand by their partners during those times of hardship. Whether its cash flow difficulties or a need to reduce costs, they will remain proactive and supportive.
“Our suppliers always engage with us in an excellent manner, they do a great job collaborating on our new building plans, and they are extremely important to ensuring we can maintain a safe and reliable operation.”
As it looks to the future, Zamil intends to continue to grow and explore new potential revenue streams, while supporting its suppliers, customers and colleagues.
“We operate with a non-blame culture, and that is something we have worked hard to implement over the years,” said Mr Jabbari, in conclusion. “And so far, we have been successful in that. Every day, I look forward to working with the amazing team at Zamil, and I can’t wait to see where this journey takes us in the future, especially as we continue to implement new solutions to improve our environmental credentials. The world is advancing towards a greener, cleaner tomorrow, and it will only be achievable if we all work together.” n
