Wind Energy

Port is celebrating £50 million storage deal with Subocean

Harbour owner and operator EastPort UK has signed a long term deal with the Edinburgh-based Subocean Group to allow the Scottish company to set up a workshop and equipment store at the harbour at Yarmouth port.

The move will see the subsea cable installation company use both the harbour and riverside facilities to store parts for its offshore wind farm operations and client base.

Subocean, which was first formed in 2005, employs 100 people with a turnover of £100 million from the rapidly expanding renewable energy sector.

The company’s offshore wind power projects include Lynn and Inner Dowsing, Robin Rigg, Rhyl Flats, Thanet and Greater Gabbard.

John Sinclair, managing director of Subocean, said: “Yarmouth is a key region for Subocean in terms of supporting our operations including our work on all our marine renewables projects in the south east.

“Our base at EastPort UK enables us to additionally establish a spare cable and parts depot from which we can deliver smarter and more cost-effective solutions for Subocean and our clients.”

Eddie Freeman, CEO of EastPort UK, said the agreement between the two companies confirms that the port and outer harbour had the expertise to play a vital role in the renewable energy sector.

“We are delighted that Subocean has chosen EastPort UK as its base for marine renewables on the south east coast of the UK and are looking forward to working together to ensure Yarmouth and the region benefits from the rapidly expanding offshore wind sector.

“Subocean is a forward thinking, progressive company who have consolidated their oil and gas expertise to become a leader in the renewable energy sector.

“Yarmouth has been England’s number one offshore support port in the southern North Sea for more than 45 years and as such has built up relevant skills, knowledge and a diverse supply chain that is equally ready to service the renewable industry.”

Yarmouth’s port, which has been privately owned since May 2007, has seen the investment of some £100 million to create a new deep water outer harbour facility to complement its existing river port.

The outer harbour became operational at the end of January and although no container vessels have docked yet to unload, it has been visited by other vessels such as the Svanen, Deep Cygnus, Seven Sisters, Bibby Topaz, Normand Mermaid and the Subocean-chartered Polar Prince.

Earlier this year Gorleston-based Seajacks agreed to make EastPort UK the home port for two self propelled jack up vessels.

www.suboceangroup.com/