Portman Travel targets cruise staff with marine division
Independent travel management company Portman Travel has opened a marine division.
The launch of Portman Marine follows the acquisition of P&O Travel last October.
The new division will concentrate on serviing vessel owners, ship managers, the oil and gas industry and other marine-related companies, particularly those in the cruise sector.
Portman Marine’s clients include Gardline Geosurveys and London Ship Managers, with new client wins expected to be announced in the coming months.
Based in London, the division will be supported by sales offices in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Southampton, Liverpool, Heathrow, and other locations around the UK.
Portman Marine general manager Denis Woodard, said: “Increasingly the whole shipping business is global, with crew and offshore workers being recruited from all over the world, so shipping clients want a single provider who can service their needs internationally.
“Cruise travel, especially, is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the marine travel industry. Ships are getting bigger and have more crew, so it’s an obvious growth area for us in the future.”
Portman chief executive Graham Flack added: “We believe that Portman Marine will offer a spread of products and a base of knowledge and experience unrivalled in this industry.
“It will have access to a worldwide network that will allow us to source the best-value tickets available for our clients. This is all about buying smart – providing the quickest and most efficient service, while being flexible and imaginative with our routings to benefit customers. We will continually strive to bring innovative products to the marketplace to meet our customers’ individual needs.”
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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