A Mull-based marine services firm has won a multi-million contract to help a Danish energy giant develop a wind farm off eastern England.
Inverlussa Marine Services has been appointed by Dong Energy to provide sea support during the construction phase of the Race Bank wind farm around 17 miles off the North Norfolk coast.
The privately owned firm will supply services such as dive support and ship food and spares under the 2.5 year contract.
Ben Wilson, managing director of Inverlussa Marine Services, said the company faced a lot of competition from experienced European vessel operators for the contract.
The contract is the first Inverlussa has won in the renewable energy sector.
It will allow the firm to start generating a return on the £3.5m it invested in support of a move into the sector.
The investment programme included commissioning a purpose built boat, the Helen Mary. This was built in the Macduff shipyards, Aberdeenshire.
Inverlussa recruited nine people to work on the vessel and support activity, taking employee numbers to 50.
The contract win shows that the development of the offshore renewables industry in the UK is creating opportunities for small and medium sized enterprises in Scotland.
This may provide compensation for some for the downturn in oil and gas related work in the North Sea following the crude price plunge.
Dong Energy said it is committed to using UK suppliers whenever possible.
Inverlussa will service the contract through a joint venture with Yorkshire-based Mainprize Offshore, which works in the North Sea. The Inverlussa team and vessel will operate from Grimsby.
Owned by the Wilson family, Inverlussa Marine Services developed out of a fishing business. The company has around £4.5m turnover. It has a mussel farming business on Loch Spelve, in the South East corner of the isle of Mull.
Dong reckons that with a capacity of up to 580 megawatts Race Bank could generate enough electricity to power 400,000 UK homes per year.
The company has interests in 10 wind farms off the UK and says it is investing heavily to increase its portfolio of projects.
It bought Race Bank from Centrica in 2013.
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