London-listed liftboat operator Gulf Marine Services (GMS) has received an extension for an existing contract for two of its vessels from a major national oil company in the Middle East. According to the company, the contract for the vessels will be extended by up to six years, including optional periods. This variation reinforces GMS’s strong partnership with the client and its continued commitment to supporting the region’s offshore energy operations. The backlog stands now at $700m. “[This contract extension] shows continued demand for our vessels in the Middle East. With this strengthened backlog, investors can see clear visibility into our performance for the coming years,” said Mansour Al Alami, GMS executive chairman. Since the final week of 2025, GMS has been very active. The company won contracts for three large vessels in Europe and the Middle East. In total, the three charters added up to 2,354 days. This was followed by extensions for two mid-size vessels operating in the GCC region, for one firm year and a one-year optional extension per vessel. On Monday, GMS agreed to acquire a new mid-class vessel, the first vessel bought in a decade. The liftboat is expected to join the company’s 14-vessel fleet in the coming two weeks. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1_95_0_1_2'); }); TagsUnited Arab Emirates