The Euro-Seas Centre for Offshore Technology in Blyth, Northumberland started two years ago as a joint private and public-funded initiative for subsea technology. The center concentrated first on redeveloping sites formerly owned by the British Gas Research Centre. Now open for business, the Euro-Seas Centre includes a variety of workshops, together with new testing facilities and a deep water load-out area.
"What is unique about Euro-Seas" says managing director Chris Pywell, "is that we have design, engineering, procurement, fabrication, assembly, wet-test facilities, and load out, all on one site."
Nine companies currently operate at the center, including Transmark Subsea which makes pig traps and launchers. According to Pywell, companies are attracted to the center because of its location, but perhaps more importantly, because it acts as a good focal point for companies operating in the same market sector. As a result, some of the tenants at the center are cooperating on joint projects.
Euro-Seas took over the wet test site from British Gas last April and now uses it for R&D trials, developing underwater techniques, subsea training and demonstration trials. "The test site has been full since it opened" says Pywell, "although we've actually found that it is being used more for offshore training purposes rather R&D since it is much cheaper to do this onshore." Its success has resulted in Euro-Seas committing a further UKP1.5 million towards developing additional test facilities and laboratories.
A specialist training school devoted to the subsea arena was opened at the center in June and already has a good takeup. Training is being offered for a variety of courses ranging from ROV pilots and subsea welding to management of subsea projects and marketing subsea products. Specific training on designing subsea systems is also given which, says Pywell, makes it unique as a permanent training facility in the UK.
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