The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
New tenant checks in at deserted Bifab yard
The deserted Bifab yard in Burntisland has welcomed a new tenant for the first time since last year. A new operations facility has been established at the Fife yard, which has been empty since Bifab entered into administration in 2020.
Aberdeen-based Orca Oceanic Systems, a subsea services company, has set up shop in the yard – which is owned by Forth Ports.
Energy Voice reports that the company has already begun work at the site for Well-safe, which provides decommissioning services for on and offshore wells.
Orca was said to have been awarded a “significant contract” from Well-safe for dive system support.
The system will be modified at the Burntisland facility before it is used on the Well-safe Guardian offshore well-plugging.
Orca managing director Mike Masson said the company was “delighted” to be in its Burntisland premises, adding: “The exbifab location, its facilities, and the surrounding area’s engineering capabilities makes the location uniquely suited to execute our current and future projects and contracts.
“Work has already begun at the new facility with our client’s saturation dive system which arrived from Singapore two weeks ago.
“The system will undergo a comprehensive modification, refurbishment and commissioning scope prior to being installed on the Well-safe Guardian, Wellsafe Solution’s bespoke plug and abandonment asset.
“We would also rig for like to thank Forth Ports for their ongoing support with our activity at Burntisland.”
Derek Knox, senior ports manager at Forth Ports, said: “We welcome the team from Orca Oceanic Systems to Burntisland and we look forward to supporting them as they develop their operations facility at the port.”
It comes after the new owner of Bifab’s Methil yard launched a search for apprentices.
Applications are now open, with successful candidates due to start from September this year.
Infrastrata acquired Bifab’s Methil and Arnish yards from administrators in February, but the Burntisland yard was not included in the deal.
Work will return to Methil this summer when Infrastrata, which operates the former Bifab assets under its iconic Harland & Wolff subsidiary, begins fabrication operations for the giant Neart na Gaoithe (NNG) wind farm off the Fife coast.
It has signed a contract to fabricate eight wind turbine generator foundation jackets for NNG, which is jointly owned by EDF Renewables UKL and ESB.
The deal, which is expected to create around 290 direct and indirect jobs in Scotland, is worth £26 million and is scheduled to get under way from July 1.
While Methil will be the base for the project, support may be provided from the company’s other facilities in Arnish, Appledore and Belfast.
The Port of Dundee is also playing a major part in the NNG project, with all 54 turbines for the project being assembled there.
It has led to a £40m investment in the port, including works to improve quaysides, hard standing and warehouse facilities.
When fully commissioned in 2023, NNG has the potential to create enough electricity for up to 375,000 homes.
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Said to have been awarded a significant contract for dive system support