Subsea specialist Bibby Offshore said yesterday it was to create nearly 50 jobs after its support division chartered another vessel.
Bibby Remote Intervention (BRIL), which provides remotely operated vehicle (ROV) services, has signed a contract for the multipurpose ship Toisa Warrior.
Aberdeen-based Bibby said the move would lead to 10 jobs in the Granite City and a further 36 offshore, taking the division’s workforce to 30 people onshore and 81 offshore.
The new boat will act as the front-runner support ship for BRIL, which was set up as a division of Bibby in 2011.
BRIL managing director Mike Arnold said: “This development highlights the impressive growth the division is experiencing.
“With this vessel in the fleet, BRIL will be targeting key contracts in the North Sea region as well as supporting Bibby Offshore requirements.”
BRIL will instal a mixed fleet of work-class ROV’s on the new boat.
“The (charter) contract will involve offering full survey and inspection capability from the vessel,” said Mr Arnold, adding: “We will also perform . . . duties including but not limited to pipeline, platform and subsea structure inspection and construction support.”
BRIL was launched after Bibby decided to bring its ROV operations in-house.
The group invested £11million in ROV systems for the new division, which supports Bibby’s own boats in addition to offering diverless intervention services to other companies.
Last month, BRIL completed a £900,000 contract with Centrica in the Mallard field.
Bibby – part of Bibby Line Group – has grown from 10 employees in 2003 to more than 750 people worldwide, with offices in Aberdeen, Liverpool, Singapore and Trinidad.
Including Toisa Warrior, the group operates six offshore-support ships.