The jobs of 100 seafarers have been safeguarded after BP agreed a contract extension with Vroon Offshore Services (VOS) worth around £30million.
Operating from its Aberdeen base, the emergency response and rescue vessel (ERRV) operator will support BP’s assets across the North Sea and West of Shetland regions.
Vroon will deploy four ERRVs for the deal which lasts until 2023 – the VOS Discovery, VOS Fairness, VOS Innovator and VOS Vigilant.
The firm said the extended contract will “secure the jobs of around 100 Vroon seafarers”.
Aberdeen managing director Craig Harvie said: “With BP’s commendable and ambitious targets to become net-zero by 2050, we are pleased to be able to support them with our extremely fuel-efficient vessels, many of which have diesel-electric power generation that significantly reduces their carbon footprint.
“Sustainability and carbon reduction are key considerations for our customers’ future needs and we are proud to be able to meet these.”
VOS Aberdeen operates a fleet of 38 ERRVs out of the city, while it also has a rescue-craft maintenance workshop in Montrose, employing a total of 50 people onshore and around 1,000 seafarers.
The firm is a subsidiary of the Netherlands-headquartered namesake parent company, which employs around 3,000 people onshore globally and has a fleet of 150 offshore vessels.
As well as ERRVs, the parent firm works in areas including dry cargo and container vessels, product tankers, livestock carriers and car carrier vessels.