A Fort William subsea diver-training school and equipment-trial centre has agreed a partnership with an Aberdeen company.
The Underwater Centre said diving and survey-support company Unique System would promote the centre’s services in the Granite City market.
In return, the centre – based at the head of Loch Linnhe – will offer Unique the use of its training and subsea-equipment testing services.
Tom Houghton, Unique’s sales manager, said he believed the partnership could be a great success.
He said: “The Underwater Centre is very highly respected within the industry and we’re pleased to have struck up a partnership which will see us working closely together for an initial six-month period. The facilities they have and the quality of the courses and instructors are top class, and it will be my job to promote this to companies across the north-east.
“With the onset of renewable energy, there is going to be a huge market for us to tap into and I think that the next few months will be very interesting.”
Steve Ham, general manager at the Underwater Centre, said: “It is great that we have created this working relationship with Unique which will give us more of a presence in the north of Scotland.
“Tom has been up to visit the centre and was pleased with the facilities and the products we offer, so it’s good to have him on board helping to push these to organisations in the oil and gas and renewable sectors.”
The Underwater Centre, which employs around 55 people, was established by the UK Government in 1975 to improve safety and competency in the diving industry.
It was privatised in 1981 and current owner Finlay Finlayson bought the site in 2004.
His involvement saved 18 jobs at the centre after previous owner Stenmar went into receivership with debts of more than £3.6million.