Orkney-based Green Marine is expanding its range of in-house subsea O&M services by investing an undisclosed but seven-figure sum into the creation of a Subsea Services Department, focused on underwater maintenance across UK offshore wind farms.
The new department, which will open in late spring, aims to meet growing demand in an O&M market projected to reach £270 million by 2030, Green Marine says. The department will introduce a range of services, including: general visual inspections; 3D surveys, incorporating real-time simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM) analysis; evaluations of the physical, biological and geological conditions of specific marine sites; and O&M monitoring, with a focus on subsea cables/pipelines and offshore structures.
Jason Schofield, Green Marine MD, says: “While this entails an initial seven-figure capital investment, the longer-term company strategy is to continue investing and expanding way into the future. We benefit from a strategic location in Orkney with the world’s second-largest installed offshore wind capacity on our doorstep.” He tells The Naval Architect that a new team will be employed to support the rollout of the department, adding at least three to four full-time jobs. “This will expand quickly as the department and equipment utilisation grow too,” Schofield says.
Green Marine recently received a cash injection from Highlands and Islands Enterprise, which will be used to purchase subsea technology like ROVs and sensors. For example, the company has invested in the VALOR ROV, supplied by Rovtech (which acquired the VALOR line from Seatronics in January). This 860mm-long ROV is rated for a depth of 300m and has a maximum payload capacity of 21kg. Green Marine also intends to shop for tech from companies such as Sonardyne, Norbit, Voyis, Tritech, Digital Edge Subsea and EIVA.
Elaborating on the Subsea Services Department’s purpose, Myles Metson, Green Marine operations and technology director, says: “Ultimately, this means we are not reliant on equipment availability or unknown personnel. We can ensure rapid mobilisation and reduced overheads during off periods. It also relieves a major headache for our clients when reliant on a multitude of equipment, operators and expertise to deliver complex services.”
Green Marine has previously been involved in projects across offshore wind farms including Dogger Bank, Moray East and Triton Knoll, among others. The company also provides crew transfer and dive support services.
