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10 March 2006
DUNDEE COURIER PRESS RELEASE
Around 3,000 people are employed in a service sector that plays a vital - but largely unheralded - role supporting the North Sea oil and gas industry.
They crew the vessels that remain on station alongside offshore installations, ready round-the-clock to undertake immediate rescue work should the need arise.
Those who embark on careers on board emergency response and rescue vessels (ERRVs) also have a surprisingly diverse range of development opportunities open to them.
John Wilson, Chairman of ERRVA, the representative association for companies operating in the sector, said:
"There is always a need for us to attract new crew members - not least because the demographics of the sector are fairly similar to the wider oil & gas industry and many employees have reached or are nearing retirement.
"It's actually a very good time to be joining the ERRV fleet - a £130million modernisation programme is under way, involving the introduction of more than 20 new vessels, and the equipment and techniques being employed are increasingly sophisticated and hi-tech.
"That investment underlines the confidence of the vessel operators that there is still a great deal of commercial life left in the North Sea. While there are still manned installations working in the North Sea - and we can expect that to be the case for several decades to come - there will remain a need for ERRVs and their highly-trained crews.
"It's also a very rewarding job, bearing in mind the critical role the vessels play in offshore safety. They are on location and on call 24 hours a day, providing first-line cover in all weather in the event of an incident. The vessels also undertake other roles, including pollution control assistance and anti-collision monitoring, so there is a real sense of teamwork among crews.
"While, thankfully, they are not often called upon to undertake emergency rescue work, speed is the key when they are. If there is a casualty in the cold waters of the North Sea, for example, it is absolutely vital to recover them as quickly as humanly possible and begin administering treatment."
The work generates a variety of opportunities for crew members to work towards marine related qualifications and make their way through the ranks. It also opens up other career options on shore, such as managers, superintendents or pilots.
Crews normally work on a 28 days on/28 days off basis, and undergo extensive training, exercise and refresher work on an ongoing basis to develop and hone the required seafaring, safety and rescue skills. Such training is carried out via industry-based and approved training organisations, and is designed to meet all levels of competencies and the appropriate accreditation standards as laid down by bodies such as the Health and Safety Executive and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
"The work of ERRVs can be fast-moving and unpredictable, and the personnel are trained to deal with a variety of circumstances and conditions to ensure they can meet the challenges the job can present," said John.
More information on career opportunities can be viewed on the website www.errva.org.uk
ENDS