GAC Pindar focuses on Volvo Ocean Race logistics challenge

With just one week to go to the start of the first leg of the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15, GAC Pindar is in the thick of ensuring the provision of a seamless logistics support package for the 12th edition of the race that has been nicknamed the ‘Everest of Sailing’.

As the official logistics provider for the Volvo Ocean Race, the mammoth task that faces GAC Pindar includes logistics and customs clearance for the entire race villages and gear for the crews, in addition to the emergency supply of spare parts during the race.

Due to the sheer size of the race, 38,739 nautical miles across five continents and eleven ports including a pit-stop in The Hague in just nine months, two identical race villages are required and will leapfrog each other across the globe.

Andrew Pindar, principal at GAC Pindar commented, “The Volvo Ocean Race is a testing logistics challenge, one of the biggest events we’ve ever undertaken, but is one that the whole GAC Pindar team relishes and is well equipped to deal with.

“We have been working closely with the organisers and have travelled over 30,000 miles to recce each of the host ports and understand their specific requirements. By the end of the race in June next year GAC Pindar employees, including eleven permanent staff, will have worked over 21,000 man hours to complete this unique logistics test.”

Nick Bice, head of boatyard at Volvo Ocean Race said, “GAC Pindar is crucial to the smooth running of the whole Volvo Ocean Race operation. Not only will their role ensure that each of the race villages are in place by deadline, but they will also be instrumental in making sure the race runs smoothly.

“GAC Pindar is responsible for over 2.5 million dollars’ worth of spare boat parts that are strategically stored across the globe in Auckland, Dubai and Rotterdam as well as carried in the boatyard containers, so that they are ready to be dispatched to a team anywhere in the world at a moment’s notice.” 

The 12th edition of the Volvo Ocean Race will start in Alicante, Spain on 11th October 2014 and finish in Gothenburg, Sweden on 27th June next year.

For more information on GAC Pindar visit http://www.gacpindar.com/.

To learn more about the Volvo Ocean Race, click here.