GMT Communications Partners, a European media and communications focused private equity group, has teamed up with the management and founding chairman to invest in Seagull, a provider of computer based training systems and e-learning for seafarers worldwide.
Founded in 1996 by its chairman, Oscar Johansen, a long term maritime industry executive, and financial partner Bjørn L.G. Braathen, Seagull offers a comprehensive library of training and on-board courses for regulatory, compliance and improved seafarer knowledge, in line with the requirements of the key global seafarer regulatory bodies.
This transaction sees GMT, alongside Johansen and Roger Ringstad, Seagull’s managing director, acquiring the shareholdings of certain of Seagull’s existing shareholders, enabling Seagull to increase investment in product development, sales and marketing and support for its customers.
Seagull has developed a state of the art training system and comprehensive library of training modules for use on-board vessels, in offices and maritime colleges, as well as online. Seagull’s customers include many leading shipping companies and the system is in use today at more than 8,000 locations, the majority of which are seagoing vessels.
Seagull has its headquarters in Norway, with offices in Germany, Greece, Japan, Poland, Singapore and the UK.
Natalie Tydeman, partner at GMT, who will join the board of the company following the transaction, says: “We are excited to join Oscar and Roger as shareholders in Seagull. Seagull is led by an excellent management team and is highly regarded within an industry where the importance of training and certification continues to increase. We have together developed an exciting plan to extend investment in training content and customer support, and to continue to grow the business within shipping and other specialist sectors.”
Johansen says: “We are delighted to have found an investor with the skills, experience and financial resources required to help us take Seagull to the next stage of its growth. GMT’s access to international networks, expertise and support in the coming years will allow us to continue to develop our market-leading technology platform and focus on our commitment to service excellence. By combining our resources we will be able to ramp up our product development, sales and marketing and world-wide support for our clients.”
