Greater Gabbard Contract Success and EEEGR Innovation Award Nomination for Tidal Transit

Docking, North Norfolk: Ginny Louise, Tidal Transit's innovative work boat, has won its first contract from Greater Gabbard Offshore Wind Ltd (GGOWL), the partnership between SSE and RWE npower renewables which is developing the 140-turbine Greater Gabbard offshore wind farm off the Suffolk coast.

For a company that has relatively recently transformed itself from a fishing charter company into one that provides state-of-the-art supply vessels for the burgeoning offshore wind farm construction industry, this is tangible recognition of Tidal Transit's vision and investment.

With around 4,000 offshore wind turbines currently under construction, waiting for planning consent or in the early stages of the survey process in the southern North Sea, Tidal Transit was quick to recognise a unique opportunity. In conjunction with the Spanish boat building company, Mercurio Plastics, the company has developed and commissioned an innovative crew transfer and marine survey vessel. These ultimate, no-compromise workboats are specifically designed to serve the needs of the North Sea wind energy industry, and are greatly superior to the current fleet being used for the same purpose around the UK.

"Ginny Louise was the first of our vessels to arrive in the UK, and has been demonstrating her outstanding qualities up and down the UK's east coast," says Leo Hambro from Tidal Transit. "We are delighted to have won the first contract for Ginny Louise with GGOWL, which will run for at least five months from 20th February 2012."

The company's achievements have also attracted the interest of the East of England Energy Group [EEEGR]. EEEGR is a non-profit, business-led group committed to the sustained development of the energy section in Eastern England, and Tidal Transit has reached the final of EEEGR's 2012 Energy Innovation Award programme. The winner of the EEEGR's Innovation Award will be announced at the Gala Award Dinner on 29th February 2012.

Leo Hambro finishes by saying: "We are proud to be receiving growing recognition of our achievements. Ginny Louise, and her sister ship, Eden Rose, which we are expecting to be delivered within the next eight weeks, are outstanding vessels that will out-perform other vessels, especially in the short, steep seas off the UK's eastern coast – invaluable tools for a challenging working environment. Nomination for EEEGR's Innovation Award is the icing on the cake."

Owen Nutt from GGOWL, the site manager at the project's Lowestoft base: "Innovation is one of the key parts of a successful project and we're always looking at new technologies and equipment to help us produce the best results. It's great to be able to work with a local company and look forward to the addition of Ginny Louise to our fleet."

For further information please contact:
Leo Hambro – Commercial Director, Tidal Transit Limited T: 01485 518760
M: 07767 701434
E:leo@tidal-transit.com