Dalby Offshore Services will move its headquarters to Endeavor Wharf at Whitby Port and start to develop the site as Yorkshire’s renewables and offshore services centre following last week’s decision of Scarborough Borough Council Cabinet to lease the site to the company.
Including offices, a marine control centre and a public exhibition space, Dalby hopes the new building to become a logistics hub to service the renewables industry in the central sector of the North Sea and beyond and, in combination with the ports of Whitby and Scarborough, to have the capacity to handle up to 30 service and support craft.
“This agreement with the council is fantastic news for Dalby Offshore but also for the Northern Powerhouse and the wider Yorkshire Region, which will soon have a brand new service facility capable of being used by a variety of companies working in the UK sector of the North Sea,” Stuart McNiven, MD at Dalby Offshore, said.
”It is aligned to our strategy to develop ports, wharves, office and other facilities capable of providing “one stop” shop servicing wind-farms over the next 20 – 30 years. The economic impact could be significant and we look forward to now bringing the project to fruition with completion planned in mid-2017. This certainly is the biggest development in the centre of Whitby in modern times and we are proud to be part of the opportunity.”
The site will also become Dalby’s home base for its growing fleet of offshore service vessels. Dalby sees Whitby Port as being geographically important to offshore wind developments in the North Sea, with the potential to provide excellent facilities to service the O&M industry.
It is open to the sea with no locks and has existing port infrastructure and water depth suitable for the handling of the next generation of larger service and maintenance boats suitable for the longer transit distances.
Cllr Derek Bastiman, Leader of Scarborough borough Council, said: “This is an excellent and significant step in securing the Yorkshire Coast’s position within the offshore wind sector. We praise the approach that has been taken by Dalby in bringing this development forward and engaging with the local community to ensure that we have a development that meets with wide ranging support. Logistically, Whitby and Scarborough provide the best transit times to the northern North Sea developments, just as importantly however the area offers some of the best people, support services, business land / facilities and overall quality of life in the UK. Where better to locate business activity than in one of the country’s most historic port towns.”