Harvey Gulf International Marine’s unsolicited marriage proposal has strong appeal but is probably not sweet enough to persuade GulfMark Offshore to leave Tidewater standing at the altar, financial sources told TradeWinds.

US-listed GulfMark’s board has already indicated just as much, in reaffirming its support for the merger agreement with compatriot public owner Tidewater.

The board issued its statement this week after US private owner Harvey Gulf made a competing offer on 1 August in an effort to steal that bride away from Tidewater, which initiated its offer in mid-July.