Utility ROV Services Invests £6m in New Equipment

Utility ROV Services invests £6m in new equipment as business continues to grow across the energy sector.



Fife-based ROV specialist, Utility ROV Services (URS), is this week unveiling two brand new bespoke ROV Systems at their base in Glenrothes, demonstrating a £6m investment in the future of the company.

As a result of the additional capacity the extra systems will provide, the company is recruiting an additional 28 offshore employees who will work on back-to-back shifts operating the systems.

Undergoing a phase of rapid growth the company has just secured investment to build a total of five units – amounting to a total investment of some £9m.

URS was established in 2013, bringing the subsea capabilities and expertise the team have from their background in commercial salvage to the energy sector. Since then the ROV specialists have built a successful business serving the decommissioning and renewables sectors across Europe.

The company’s enabling technology is the UTROV, it is a remotely operated tool carrier which is suspended from a surface vessel via a load bearing umbilical. It’s equipped with thrusters to control its orientation and assist with positioning during operations. Operator feedback is provided through the cameras and lights mounted on the UTROV along with various sensors that monitor the status and health of the system. Once mobilised the UTROV can be furnished with a number of specially designed tools to carry out subsea cutting, dredging and handling operations.

Patrick Crawford, Utility ROV’s Founder and Managing Director said: “This is a very important and exciting milestone for us. Back in 2013 we took the risk of designing and building the first UTROV for commercial use, uncertain if the market would accept our unique approach to subsea operations despite the savings it offers. We have built the business brick-by-brick from there. Our success since then has been significant, this is down to the investment we have made in our team and equipment enabling us to provide a quality service. Thanks to that and a robust growth strategy we have managed to secure further private investment to help us move into new sectors and new countries.

“When we operated in the commercial salvage business, we sold our services on a no cure, no pay basis. This approach meant that we had no choice but to make sure our system and team was the best there is.”

URS’s services to the energy industry include the positing of subsea equipment, survey and inspection, route clearance and mattress lay and recovery. The company is currently conducting research and development to launch a range of tools specifically designed for reducing the cost of decommissioning.


Location: Glenrothes, UK