Future issues around how massive offshore windfarms will be operated and maintained was a key topic on the final day of an industry event in Aberdeen yesterday.
The Offshore Wind and Supply Chain conference and exhibition, organised by Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Renewables, was told the industry had come a long way in 10 years.
But it also had a lot to learn, costs to reduce and efficiencies to be made, delegates at the event, in Aberdeen Conference and Exhibition Centre, heard.
A session at the event addressed future operations and maintenance needs.
Panellists from DOF Subsea and Windcat Workboats argued that a mothership model should be used, where workers are based on a large ship at a windfarm and use smaller boats to service turbines.
There was debate on how long motherships would be based offshore; whether they should be permanently stationed or return to ports regularly for supplies. Others suggested harbours should be operations and maintenance bases to bring the full economic benefits to local communities.
The event also heard from north-east diving firm Divex on a cradle-based launch system for service boats from motherships, which it has been developing with the Carbon Trust.
It also outlined a gangway system for transferring personnel from workboats to turbine bases offshore.