Local content development is an important part of our operations – Morten Kelstrup
By Ndubuisi Micheal Obineme
Morten Kelstrup, Chief Operating Officer of Maersk Drilling, has said that local content development is a key factor of creating shared value for its customers and the countries they operate.
Speaking in an interview with our correspondent, Morten Kelstrup further explained that local content development is an important part of the company’s operations.
He said: “In West Africa, for example, we have an ambition to engage in the conversation on how to collaborate across borders to build local capacity that benefits the region as a whole.
“Our goal is to always do better than what is required of us in this arena. Local authorities will set minimum requirements for local content, but we want to go beyond that and include a higher ratio of local content than the bare minimum.
“I’m happy to say that we are succeeding in doing so, and one key factor in reaching that result is our focus on training local content via joint ventures with local partners and support for the institutions that are developing the country’s skills base.
“One recent example worth mentioning was when our drillship Maersk Voyager moved from Ghana to begin a new campaign in Equatorial Guinea. After Maersk Voyager left Ghana, it only took three days before we were ready to start up operations in Equatorial Guinea with a crew including 46% Equatorial Guinean nationals,” he added.
In Ghana, Maersk Drilling is making headway by contributing to local content development, and over 55% job positions are filled by Ghanaians. The company has a total of 260 locals employed in Ghana – 238 offshore and 22 onshore.
Maersk Drilling create jobs with a number of local suppliers that deliver services to the rigs. They procure locally when possible, and in Ghana, that’s particularly true of the joint venture Rigworld which has built a modern training facility in Takoradi.
