Irish Mainport Holdings sets sights on offshore wind
Irish Mainport Holdings
(Mainport) is targeting the offshore wind sector following the acquisition
of a 50 metre Survey and Research Ship, the Mainport Geo, and the
acquisition of a share of Alpha Marine.
Mainport operates three tugs in the Shannon estuary, provides a dedicated
supply vessel at the Kinsale Natural Gas Field, as well as ship agency
and stevedoring operations in Cork and Limerick. Internationally, Mainport
operates seismic support ships and has interests in fast crew boats and
anchor handler ship in Malaysia and Australia.
Mainport also purchased all the marine assets of SO.PRO.MAR, which was
the leading Italian company in providing marine services to the Mediterranean
scientific research market. A new Rome-based company, Mainport Med, was
set up in 2020 with local Italian partners.
The 2015 built Mainport Geo is 50 metre long vessel equipped with
a DP 2 system, quieter, and economic diesel electric engines, FIFI 1 and
SPS notation for 35 passengers. She is located in Ivory Coast at present
and will be delivered to Cork shortly.
Dave Ronayne, Chief Executive of Mainport said, “We are delighted with
this new ship, which will be very suitable for the offshore renewable sector
in Ireland. We know there is over €5 Billion investment planned over next
few year on the east coast of Ireland by many major existing offshore wind
operators such as Innogy, Parkwind, ESB, Statkraft, Fred Olsen and SSE
and all these new wind farms will require surveying services. This ship
is also very suitable for the Italian scientific research markets."
Alpha Marine been active in the offshore wind sector, both in Ireland and
overseas. Since 2004, the company has provided tug and workboat charters,
crew transfer vessels (CTVS), hydrographic survey, subsea repair and maintenance
and, most recently, Environmental & Geophysical survey to offshore
wind in Ireland and the UK.
Tim Greenwood, Commercial Director of Alpha Marine, said: “Alpha Marine
is looking forward to a bright future for offshore wind in Ireland and
we are naturally delighted to partner with Mainport. This strategic investment
will increase our operational capability and enable us to deliver a strong
Irish supply chain proposition to windfarm developers and tier 1 &
2 contractors. Over the last year or two we have seen an uptake in enquiries
for geophysical survey so the added capability that the Mainport Geo brings
us is very exciting indeed.”