Vikand opens Manila office, says PH is maritime hub
GLOBAL health care specialist Vikand has opened an office in Manila, recognizing the Philippines’ importance to the shipping industry as a significant maritime hub for seafarer talent.
The office opened early this year with a team of four and has grown rapidly to 19 staff in a little over five months; such is the demand for crew mental and physical health care solutions in this strategically important region.
“Opening the office in Manila is an important milestone for Vikand, as it puts us at the center of one of the largest seafaring communities in the world. It means we can collaborate with stakeholders at a local level to better serve the health care needs of the crew, guests and shore staff based in that region,” said Peter Hult, Vikand chief executive officer.
The new office brings together the full breadth and depth of Vikand’s expertise in the Philippines, reflecting Vikand’s strategy to continuously grow its global network. The new expansion will strengthen its service offering of a comprehensive and proactive range of medical and public health solutions, resulting in improved risk mitigation and decreased costs.
Hult said, “The Manila office has been an important step on our journey to expand our network within the industry to improve seafarers’ welfare and develop future generations of marine talent.”
Marielle Carlson, operations director of the Manila office said the office opening also falls in line with Vikand’s values of “we can because we care,” ensuring consistently high safety and quality standards.
“Given the greater focus on welfare, wellbeing and mental health challenges, we look forward to working with our existing and new clients to ensure they receive the necessary support to achieve higher levels of care for their businesses and fleets,” Carlson added.
As one of the founders of the Seafarer Human Sustainability Declaration, Vikand wants to help unite the industry under one goal — to prioritize seafarer welfare.
Vikand had an exhibition booth during the recently concluded Crew Connect Global in Manila. Organized yearly by the Informa Group of Lloyds of London, it is considered the biggest manning event in the world.
Vikand provides public health and medical solutions to the shipping, cruise, yachting and offshore industries. Operating around the clock and the world, committed to delivering best-in-class health care solutions through transparent, proactive and strong partnerships.
Carlson said, “We act as a partner for our customers, guiding them through the regulatory and safety challenges facing shipping, whilst delivering tangible benefits to achieve the highest level of care.
Our holistic approach and detailed understanding of maritime health care needs are complemented with state-ofthe-art technologies to inform our decision making.”