Subsea company, Subocean Group, is doubling the size of its premises as staff numbers hit 175. The specialists in subsea cable lay and burial are taking an additional 5,400 square feet of office accommodation in the building next door to their headquarters at the subsea campus in Arnhall Business Park, Westhill, Aberdeenshire.

Subocean has created 75 new jobs in the last six months and now employs 75 people onshore and 100 offshore with plans to add another 50 offshore personnel by the end of 2009 to service contracts already secured.

Since 2005, Subocean has built up a reputation in the design and delivery of subsea installation projects as well as the supply of personnel to the subsea sector. Taking proven and established oil and gas experience into the offshore wind sector, they have secured in excess of £100 million of business in marine renewables in the last 12 months.

Mike Daniel, operations director of Subocean, said: “In the current economic climate, we are pleased to be able to create new jobs and opportunities for skilled workers. We have added some great new talent to the business both on and offshore which will ensure that, as we grow, we continue to offer a high quality, reliable service to our clients.

“Our contracts in marine renewables continue to increase and we will shortly be able to announce some major new contract wins for 2010 and 2011. To date Subocean has only been addressing the UK market requirements but we see an even bigger opportunity to capture a significant share of business out with the UK from 2011 when other European governments set their own renewable targets for 2020.”

Subocean Group provides high performance subsea cable installation and burial solutions to the marine renewables energy sector, including cable, rigid and flexible pipeline trenching to the oil and gas sector.

It also supplies offshore management personnel, divers, life support technicians, ROV operators, subsea equipment operators and offshore administrators.

Its engineers can design and manufacture bespoke equipment to meet specific project, operational and safety requirements.