Offshore: Ravenna's ROCA sets up relations with Iran

Ravenna - The opportunities offered by the new and positive relations existing between Italy and Iran are being monitored by the Ravenna Offshore Contractors Association (ROCA) after its decision to set up a branch office in Mozambique. Franco Nanni, chairman of ROCA, told the association's board meeting: "We are in contact with Sahaka, an Italo-Iranian company which is planning to organize meetings between Italian and Iranian businessmen in Tehran.

The Attractiveness and Internationalisation Office of the Emilia Romagna region asked us to organise an exploratory mission to Tabriz during the concert 'The Paths of Friendship' directed by maestro Riccardo Muti, which will be held on July 2 in Tehran. In this respect maestro Muti solicited the help of ROCA or its associates in meeting potential Iranian middlemen." Tehran will also be the venue for a conference organised by European House - Ambrosetti S.p.A. in November. ROCA was asked by the Emilia Romagna region to organise business meetings on that occasion. The project will be discussed at an assembly meeting on May 26, which has been called by the ROCA board. The board's latest meeting also focused on the offshore sector and the positive signals from the US on a recovery in offshore rig operations. From 1,900 rigs in 2014, the number of operational rigs fell to 350 in March 2016 only to pick up again this year to 900.

Mr Nanni told the meeting: "This uptrend may indicate a recovery also in the European market, despite an oil price that does not go above 50 US dollars per barrel. As a result we feel more optimistic of the sector's recovery."