Following the successful launch of its first Renewable Energy Support Base (RESB) in Lyness, Orkney in 2010 to support leading wave and tidal developers, Fendercare Marine, a member of James Fisher & Sons plc, today announces its commitment to open a second offshore marine energy O&M facility in Great Yarmouth in early 2012.
This new facility will provide an extensive range of support services & equipment to the expanding offshore wind industry and associated supply chain in the area. With a large set down & storage area, quay side frontage & office facilities, this investment will compliment the broad range of products & services that Fendercare and other members of James Fisher & Sons plc can provide to the renewables industry.
“ Many companies with vessels in the Southern North Sea are finding it difficult to locate suitable facilities to carry out both scheduled and emergency maintenance ” explains Tim Smith, Fendercare’s Renewables Sales Manager “ In some cases owners and operators are being forced to return their vessels to mainland Europe to complete these service requirements, resulting in reduced operational efficiency and project over-runs. This is a situation that can only be exacerbated with the significant increase in vessels anticipated to service O&M requirements of existing installations, round 2 extensions and new round 3 projects. The investment in a second base with over 4,000 m2 of space in Yarmouth will provide a number of core services including: full mobilisation & de-mobilisation facilities (cranage up to 100T); maintenance & repair facilities; storage; fully equipped project management offices; as well as bunkering and fuelling services .”
This significant investment further underlines the commitment of Fendercare and James Fisher & Sons plc to the UK’s offshore renewables industry and in particular installations in the Southern North Sea.
“ This base is part of Fendercare’s overall strategy to becoming more involved in the energy industry worldwide ,” commented Eric Plane, Managing Director of Fendercare , “ both in terms of the oil & gas industries as well as renewables. The facility will enable us to do what we do best: provide an excellent reliable service & it will act as a conduit to bring other James Fisher group companies services to the Southern North Sea area .”
James Fisher & Sons Ltd is a leading provider of marine services with extensive experience in the marine & offshore industries worldwide “ The investment by Fendercare in this second facility gives us further opportunities to leverage the resources and capabilities of other group companies ” commented Jim Hey, Group Business Development Director “ Our presence in the renewables sector is expected to increase significantly through the ability of the group to deliver high value solutions to meet the needs of our customers. The specialist skills we possess in remote structural monitoring capability, mooring systems, cable installation, off-shore & sub-sea operations, personnel solutions, and marine services are successfully being applied in a number of development, deployment and O&M project s.”
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Subsea World News Staff , November 16, 2011; Image: Fendercare