14 January 2010
ShipServ Acquires Mariner’s Annual
Acquisition further strengthens ShipServ’s position as the leader in the provision of ship supplies trading information.
LONDON, UK, 14 January, 2010 – ShipServ, the leading maritime e-marketplace, today announced that it has acquired Charles Kerr Enterprises, publisher of Mariner’s Annual, the international shipping and offshore drilling industries’ ordering guide.
With the acquisition, ShipServ further positions itself as the leader in providing information to the buyers and suppliers of ship supplies to help them find each other easily, connect cost effectively and trade efficiently.
ShipServ TradeNet already processes just under $1.2bn in ship supplies orders a year, while ShipServ Pages is used by 60,000 marine buyers each month to locate suppliers from an online directory of nearly 30,000 companies.
Approximately 8,000 copies of Mariner’s Annual are distributed each year in book and CD form. And over 60,000 copies of Mariner’s Annual are in active use on ships, drilling rigs, offshore vessels and in procurement offices as well as by ship chandlers and ship builders/repairers around the world.
These two leaders in maritime information have been marketing partners for many years, and the acquisition represents a natural progression in the development of their services.
First and foremost the acquisition is great news for advertisers on both sides. Mariner’s Annual advertisers will benefit from the global scale of the online ShipServ community. ShipServ Pages advertisers will have the opportunity to extend their reach onboard ships via printed catalog and/or CD.
“With a quality publication like Mariner’s Annual, ShipServ will be even better positioned to capitalize on the growth opportunity that maritime e-commerce represents,” said Paul Ostergaard, CEO & Founder, ShipServ. “The addition of Mariner’s Annual to the ShipServ family means we can add further value to the ship supplies ordering process by helping onboard crew identify and communicate their requirements to shore. ”
Mariner’s Annual was first conceived in the 1950s by Charles Kerr when he spotted the problems involved with communications between ships, purchasing offices, and suppliers, and identified the need for a technically complete and up-to-date book that could be used to bridge the communications gap. This idea has been subsequently developed into an institution that has flourished for more than five decades.
“I’m excited that my company is now part of the ShipServ family and about the effect of this merger on Mariner’s Annual’s future,” Chris Kerr, President of Charles Kerr Enterprises, said. “ShipServ and Mariner’s Annual have both bridged the language and distance barriers between those on ships and rigs at sea, their purchasing people, and their suppliers. Together, we will be able to improve the process of getting first-class information more quickly and efficiently into the hands of the people who need it.”
“We expect the strong synergy between ShipServ and Mariner’s Annual to deliver benefits to our customers from day one,” added Ostergaard. “The team joining our ranks includes undisputed experts in the ship supplies domain who have played a critical role in the Mariner’s Annual success story. Ship managers, owners and yards will benefit from the combined industry knowledge of the ShipServ and Mariner’s Annual teams, as well as an expanded range of offerings.”
Mariner’s Annual will be published in a discrete business unit and its current management team, under the leadership of Chris Kerr, will continue to run the business.
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NOTES TO EDITORS
1. Contacts
Any questions on this announcement should be directed to Don Staffin, Senior Vice President, on +1 732-738-6500, email Don Staffin.
General press enquiries should be directed to John Watton, Chief Marketing Officer, ShipServ on +44 20 3051 0257, email John Watton.
2. Frequently Asked Questions
An FAQ is available here.
3. About ShipServ
ShipServ is the leading maritime e-marketplace, helping the buyers and sellers of ship supplies to reduce the costs associated with doing business together. In 2009 ShipServ helped its members save an estimated $400m and transformed the way they do business. Whether a Buyer needs to streamline its purchasing operations or a Supplier wants to reduce the cost of attracting or retaining customers, ShipServ is unique in helping businesses of all sizes to find each other easily, connect cost effectively and trade efficiently. Today the ShipServ community numbers nearly 140 buying organizations, 5,000 vessels and 30,000 suppliers. For more information visit www.shipserv.com.
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