HAMBURG: September 25, 2017. Following the sale of SAL Heavy Lift by 'K' Line in July, new owner Harren & Partner (H&P) has begun re-flagging its new vessels under the German flag.

SAL operates a fleet of 15 heavylift vessels and combined with H&P's Combi Lift subsidiary has increased its capacity to 26 ships - ranging from multipurpose (300 ton crane capacity) to offshore construction with a combined crane capacity of up to 2,000 tons.

"We are very proud to return to the German Flag," said Sebastian Westphal, SAL corporate director of Ship Management at SAL. "The German flag stands for quality, safety and compliance, and these are core values in SAL, so the German Flag and our corporate objectives goes well in hand."

Company CEO Toshio Yamazaki said the move was a logical consequence: "A German family owned business with German-built vessels, operated by many German officers, and now provided by all the advantages of a German Flag."

Yamazaki also announced the closure of the company's SAL Offshore subsidiary based in the Netherlands due to what he said were challenging times in the offshore market with significant reductions in projects worldwide.

SAL Offshore developed and supplied installation solutions for the oil & gas and renewables sectors: "The closure does not spell the end for SAL in the offshore markets," he explained. "SAL will continue to offer offshore installation services handled by our Marine Projects team [from] our office in Hamburg.

"Regrettably, the closure of our office in Delft result[s] in us having to say goodbye to skilled and good colleagues that have worked hard to establish the presence of SAL Offshore in markets around the world. We thank each of them for their efforts," he continued.

(Pictured: In 2013 SAL Offshore helped in the wreck removal of the Cost Concordia at Giglio Island, Italy with the installation of subsea platforms and flotation sponsons up to 45 meters in depth.)