Crane and lifting provider Sarens has announced a new tie-up with Invergordon’s PSG Marine & Logistics to expand offshore wind operations in Scotland.
The two firms have joined forces to form a joint venture offering heavy lift and transport solutions, load in/out, assembly and port marshalling services to the renewables and offshore wind sectors.
Sarens PSG will marry Sarens’ fleet – one of the world’s largest inventories of cranes, transporters, and specialty rigging equipment – with PSG’s logistics capabilities, from its base at the deep water facilities at Port of Cromarty Firth.
Director for technical solutions Carl Sarens said: “We are looking forward to make this JV a success in the fast growing offshore market. where the combination of our heavy lifting and heavy transport expertise, together with PSG’s marshalling capacity and access to deep water quaysides, will bring an added value to the market.”
Sarens PSG’s managing director Steve Clark said the combination of services would offer clients “the most comprehensive offering of heavy lift, transport, assembly, load in/out and port marshalling services currently available in Scotland.”
PSG’s facilities at Invergordon and the Cromarty Firth are well placed to meet the needs of Scottish offshore wind projects, though Mr Clark said the venture will also look at opportunities at all the marshalling facilities around Scotland.
Sarens, meanwhile, has UK bases in London, Middlesborough and Stanlow.
“Sarens PSG has been specifically incorporated to support the rapidly developing offshore wind market and assist in solving some of the current issues around heavy lift capacity, deployment and WTG integration, as the Scottish market scales up to floating wind commercialisation and the Scotwind project build-out,” Mr Clark continued.
Port of Cromarty Firth chief executive Bob Buskie said the broad range of transport and logistics support services would benefit clients in the fixed and floating offshore wind market who plan to use the Port of Cromarty Firth as their manufacturing, marshalling, storage, and integration hub.
“This new capability will broaden and strengthen the supply chain capability across the whole of the Port of Cromarty Firth and will support our customers commercial contracting frameworks extremely well,” he added.
PSG recently joined the bid to create a green freeport in the Cromarty Firth.
The Opportunity Cromarty Firth consortium, spearheaded by Port of Cromarty Firth and Global Energy Grouphas estimated a successful bid on the west coast of Scotland will create 20,000 jobs across the Highlands.
Up to nine groups in Scotland have flagged an interest in winning one of the two Scottish green freeports being planned as part of a £52 million initiative led by UK and Scottish governments.
Bids from prospective operators need to be in by 10am on Monday 20 June and a decision is expected by late summer.
Mr Clark said: “The Cromarty Firth is uniquely positioned to offer the perfect location as a freeport, bringing with it the opportunity to maximise job creation and levels of economic growth across the Highlands and Scotland that has not been seen since oil boom in the 70’s.
“Opportunity Cromarty Firth already has the support of the area’s leading organisations, and PSG Marine & Logistics are delighted to join the steering group as we bid to make this dream a reality.”
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