More than 100 north-east employees of a Norwegian offshore service company face an uncertain future after it said it was reducing its activities.
Oceanteam revealed this week that certain offshore power-cable installation projects were to be taken over by Global Marine Systems and a long-term co-operation agreement with ABB had been terminated.
The Bergen-based firm employs about 150 people in Aberdeen and Dundee.
No one could be contacted for comment at Oceanteam or Essex-based Global Marine yesterday, however, one Aberdeen employee of Oceanteam said: “I think that there could be very significant redundancies in the north-east.
“The company has lost money on windfarm power-cable installation projects. We all knew there were problems, but not the depth and significance of them.”
The worker said Oceanteam had refused to confirm that it could pay staff salaries this month, adding: “All contractors have been paid off or been withdrawn by their agents due to non-payment.”
The employee said the projects that were going to Global Marine was all the work that Oceanteam had at the moment, adding: “Global Marine will probably cherry pick who it wants from our workforce, but where will that leave everyone else?
“We have already heard rumours that 150 of the 200-strong Dutch workforce are going.”
Oceanteam said this week: “Due to the transfer of the projects and the termination of the long-term co-operation agreement, Oceanteam will reduce its activities.
“The operational risk of the company will be reduced, but Oceanteam will accordingly generate less revenue and incur large restructuring costs in 2009. The impact of the agreement on the company 2009 work schedule is significant.”
Oceanteam is focused on servicing, installation, trenching and inspection, maintenance and repair of flexible flowlines, umbilicals and power cables.
The firm’s target markets include oil and gas and offshore renewables. It has offices in Norway, the UK, Germany, Mexico, Angola, Dubai and the Netherlands.