GAC and their history in Shetland

May 19th 2023

GAC Shetland is the islands’ longest-established ship agency and logistics service and they are very proud to be announced as in-kind sponsors for The Tall Ships Races visit to Lerwick this July. The company will be handling customs clearance for all vessels that visit Lerwick for the event.

GAC Shetland is part of GAC UK and GAC Group - a privately-owned company, specialising in the delivery of high-quality shipping, logistics and marine services to customers worldwide. Including ship agency; freight forwarding; project logistics; customs clearance and advice; ship spares; and bunker fuels.

The organisation has held a presence in Shetland since the days of Hay & Company, which operated locally as far back as the 19th century. In the early 2000s Hay & Company were purchased by OBC, and in 2007 OBC was purchased by GAC. With a global team of 7,500 employees around 300 locations around the globe, and a Shetland team of 5 who deal with around 300 ships a year. The team support all the different types of vessels that call into ports across Shetland including - oil, gas, renewables, tall ships, cargo ships, tankers, cruise liners, offshore support, and aquaculture.

The business was especially interested in supporting the event as GAC UK and GAC Norway has a long-standing relationship with the Norwegian sail training vessel Statsraad Lehmkuhl and recently supported it on its global tour. The beautiful three-masted barque-rigged vessel is a frequent caller to Lerwick where GAC handle all its port call logistics. The company also wanted to sponsor the maritime event as they are a key player in the Shetland maritime industry providing support to the shipping sector 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year! They are always keen to involve themselves in the Shetland community which is evident in their positive relationships with local suppliers, ports and the tight-knit Shetland shipping community.

GAC Shetland is a company with deep roots and history in Shetland - a strong team who are there to provide help 24 hours a day. A company that provides a wide range of services and supports many different types of vessels and who have a long-standing relationship with the beautiful Tall Ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl. The Shetland team is “extremely proud to be supporting the Tall Ships Races to help showcase what our wonderful island can offer”.

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