Support ship valued at €25m arrives in Cork

Cork’s Mainport Shipping has welcomed a new offshore support ship, valued at €25m, to Cork.

The ship, called Mainport Edge, will be used for seabed surveying as part of the international offshore energy sector.

The investment into the ship, the lender for which was was AIB, comes against a backdrop of strong demand for seabed survey vessels in the European wind energy market.

Speaking on the ship’s arrival at the Mainport Shipping headquarters in Cork, Dave Ronayne, chief executive, said the occasion represented a “manifestation” of the company’s ambition in the offshore wind market to support geo-data specialists in international offshore energy.

“The complexity of surveying the seabed in deep waters requires specialist vessels and support such as the Mainport Edge,” he added.

“Our market is fragmented with many shipping companies, each with a limited number of ships. There is no dominant player.

“Through our long-standing experience of providing specialist vessels, combined with the investment in our initial modern survey support ships, we are, with the support of MML, on a definitive growth path in this market.”

The new ship was constructed by Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding in China and is 59.6m in length.

After purchase in China, Mainport sailed the ship to Turkey where extensive modifications were carried out to cater for the offshore wind market, bringing it to the current market value of €25m.

The ship has already worked in the Mediterranean for six months following modifications, and will now commence a new charter in the Malin Sea area to the west of Scotland.

It will conduct a geophysical survey, comprising of a range of acoustic and sonar sensors, to investigate the seafloor and subsurface.

Mainport will use the Port of Cork to replenish the vessel and conduct all their maintenance requirements prior to going on charter with Sulmara in Larne in Antrim.

The acquisition of MV Mainport Edge follows a multi-million euro equity investment into Mainport Shipping by MML Growth Capital Partners Ireland 15 months ago for expansion of its business.