The Gesmar Group was founded by Neapolitan ship owner Eduardo Vitiello, who went into towage business in the early 80’s with the takeover of S.E.R.S. which was then supplying tug services in the port of Ravenna.
In 2005 Gesmar signed an important agreement with Setramar, a group controlled by the Poggiali family. Today the Group is owned by two family-controlled companies with interests in shipping, trading of raw materials and port terminals (together they are the biggest conglomerate of bulk cargo terminals in the Mediterranean Sea). The main office is located in Ravenna.
Gesmar Group provides towage and related services, including harbour towage, offshore terminal towage, ocean towage, salvage and marine pollution control and escort tugs.
The Group, through a number of group companies, provides towage services in ten Italian ports, towage services and safety cover including tanker escorting and firefighting at four off-shore terminals in Italy. It also provides salvage services throughout the Adriatic Sea and marine pollution control – alone or together with the Castalia Consortium – along the entire Italian coastline (islands included).
Today, the Gesmar Group is by far the largest towage operator in the Adriatic Sea and, despite remaining a family-controlled company, is characterised by a dynamism which rivals and even surpasses that of the major international players in the sector.
The current objectives of the Group include gaining a leadership position in Mediterranean towage, whilst continuing to drive forward expansion into South and Central America and the Middle East.
