NHV and Blueway have signed a merger agreement to create what they are hoping will be a 'top-tier player' in the helicopter services industry. Belgian operator NHV is to purchase Scandinavian Blueway's stakes, which are owned by Reiten & Co and Helicopter Transportation Group. The Blueway Group includes DanCopter, Blueway Offshore Norge, Vertech Offshore and Airlift AS.

The two companies share similar activities: both have a strategic presence in the North Sea and west Africa with a focus on the offshore industry and a shared customer base. The newly created group will employ approximately 650 staff in several countries. Its combined turnover in 2013 was in excess of US$270 million.

The focus in the immediate future is to maintain and extend the current North Sea customer base in Norway, Denmark, The Netherlands, Belgium, UK, as well as in France, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Nigeria.

“Our group operates a diverse fleet of 59 helicopters in total, with a solid order book of 19 arriving in the next three years,” comments NHV ceo Eric Van Hal. “We decided to partner with Blueway as we have been impressed by its commitment to its customers, industry knowledge and experience. Joining forces provides us with a large and robust platform for our further expansion. Our order book of 16 next-generation EC175 will accelerate plans to achieve our ambition of being a top tier player in our industry.”

Jonny Skoglund, ceo of Blueway, adds: “This is a major milestone in our near 30-year history. Through our complementary geographical presence, increased scale and innovative cultures, we can provide the service our customers have been searching for. Customers and partners will benefit from the additional flexibility and commitment of both companies to safety, reliability and compliance to the most stringent standards.”