Bristol-based subsea tech firm Rovco has launched a new business division to capitalise on what it has called a “crucial industry shortfall”.
The company, which provides remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV) and hydrographic services, said its new arm would specialise in site surveys required prior to the construction of offshore renewable energy assets.
The firm said the latest addition to its fleet, a multi-purpose survey vessel long-term hire from Dutch firm Glomar, would be “at the heart” of its new dedicated operations.
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The Glomar Supporter has been kitted out with state-of-the-art survey sensors and equipment. Rovco said the innovation removed the need for frequent returns to port to reconfigure equipment, and could “significantly” reduce overall survey time, and costs for clients.
Director of site characterisation at Rovo, Craig Davis, said: “It is widely accepted that the offshore industry is critically undersupplied in terms of available capacity to carry out pre-consenting, pre-construction site characterisation surveys, which are carried out to identify the safest and most efficient location for wind turbines and other infrastructure.
“This shortfall in capability is likely to become even more acute as new offshore projects get the go-ahead on both sides of the North Sea and the wider Northeast Atlantic. By reducing the time required for every project through a more efficient, streamlined approach, Rovco will help ease this bottleneck, creating greater capacity to service the market.”
Bosses added that as well as the “substantial” outlay it had made for its new vessel, the company would also look to invest in “key” personnel to bring in the required expertise for its new division.
Last year Rovco agreed a major partnership deal with Japanese wind turbine inspection firm Horizon Ocean Management, and a deal to carry out inspections of a Dutch offshore wind farm development. Last April Rovco and its sister company Vaarst secured £15.2m i n a Series B fundraising round.
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