Scotland in running for marine HQ

SCOTLAND is in the running to secure the headquarters of a major new engineering services company being launched to capitalise on a predicted boom in wave and tidal energy projects.

Swedish energy giant Vattenfall, UK engineering support services firm Babcock and Spanish technology group Abengoa have joined forces to establish Nautimus, the world’s first company of its kind focused on marine renewables.

A decision on the location for the company has not yet been taken, but a spokesman for Vattenfall, which has a base in Edinburgh, confirmed Scotland’s leadership in the ocean energy sector made it “a contender”.

The company’s first client is likely to be Aegir, a ten megawatt (MW) wave farm planned by Vattenfall and Edinburgh-based wave power device develop Pelamis off Shetland.

Scottish energy minister Fergus Ewing said the creation of the company was “further evidence of the momentum building behind the marine renewables industry as it makes strides towards commercialisation and the economic potential that this sector offers to supply chain companies”.