The UK government is backing industry plans for a multi-million pound underwater engineering hub in Aberdeen.
Bringing together underwater technologies from both industry and academia from up and down the country, the planned Global Underwater Engineering Hub should reinforce the UK’s status in the field and build on expertise in subsea robotics, remotely-operated underwater vehicles and maritime support vessels.
Seizing the opportunities in the blue economy will also help the UK’s oil and gas sector diversify and support the UK move away from fossil fuels towards clean growth.
The UK already has a 40% share of the global market in the subsea industry that could be worth more than £100 billion globally by 2035.
Prime Minister Theresa May said:
“ Today I can announce that the UK government is backing plans for a new Global Underwater Hub in Aberdeen, helping established businesses thrive and creating new opportunities as the world makes the shift towards clean growth.
“Cementing Aberdeen’s place as an energy hub for offshore and renewables, the new hub would bring together areas of excellence in underwater technology under a single commercial vision. It would support industry, generate new skilled jobs and help us in the fight against climate change .”
Following this endorsement from the UK government, industry are now encouraged to develop a business case for the hub for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to review.
Building on the existing synergy between the oil and gas industry and renewable supply chains, the new hub will form part of a continued package of support from the UK government to help the UK’s oil and gas sector diversify.
This includes the establishment of the Oil and Gas Authority as an independent regulator for the UK Continental Shelf, £90 million towards the creation of the Oil and Gas Technology Centre in Aberdeen and £45 million for seismic surveys in under developed areas of the UK Continental Shelf.
The UK’s oil and gas industry supports around 280,000 jobs, meets almost half of our energy needs and has contributed £334 billion in taxes towards our vital public services.
In March, the UK government also launched the offshore wind sector deal, an agreement with industry which aims to deliver a third of the UK’s electricity through offshore wind and seize on export opportunities that could be worth up to £2.6 billion by 2030.