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Crowley Maritime Corp. and Svitzer have agreed to merge their salvage divisions to create a new company called Ardent. Ardent, which will be equally owned by Crowley and Svitzer, will begin operations on May 1, 2015.
Svitzer Salvage, a market leader in emergency response, and Titan Salvage, a wreck removal company known for raising the Costa Concordia, will bring together their expertise in the new entity that will offer customers an even broader range of capabilities and marine related services.
"The company will become an industry leader in wreck removal and emergency response," said Peter Pietka, chief executive officer of Ardent and formerly CEO of Svitzer Salvage. "Further, while remaining integral to our new company, emergency response and wreck removal will be part of a wider ecosystem
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of services. We have come together to build a more modern and effective offering for the maritime sector."
Ardent will be headquartered in Houston, Texas, with additional operational offices in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Singapore. The company will also have supporting offices in Australia, Brazil, South Korea, Greece and South Africa, among other regions.
"The real power and benefit for the industry of our merged business will be its capacity and ability to adapt to the changing needs of our customers," said Pietka. "Ardent will serve as a strong platform for organic growth and new expansion opportunities in complementary businesses such as underwater services and offshore decommissioning. Structured for growth and diversification, we will create new opportunities for the company and its employees."
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