Chouest’s subsea fleet offering grows to over 100 ROVs and 6 AUVs with acquisition of UK firm

U.S.-headquartered Chouest Group has bought ROVOP, an Aberdeen-based remotely operated vehicle (ROV) company, to widen its subsea capabilities. This acquisition enables the U.S. player, alongside its subsea service company, C-Innovation, to be in charge of a fleet encompassing more than 100 ROVs and six autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).

According to Chouest, the acquisition expands its service offerings and provides ROVOP with enhanced resources, enabling it to benefit from the support and capabilities of other companies under the U.S. firm’s umbrella, such as its vessel-based operations, Caltex Oil Tools, Bram Offshore, and C-Innovation. This is expected to allow the UK ROV specialist to optimize its service for existing clients and attract new business with expanded service offerings.

Dino Chouest of Chouest Group, commented: “ROVOP has established a reputation for excellence in the ROV industry. This acquisition is a key part of our strategy to enhance our integrated subsea services. We are excited to welcome ROVOP’s talented team into our family. Their expertise and capabilities are crucial as we expand our portfolio and continue to offer industry-leading solutions to our clients.”

Furthermore, the integration of ROVOP into Chouest’s operations is due to begin immediately, with full integration expected to enhance service delivery and operational efficiency across all entities involved. This acquisition showcases the Louisiana-based firm’s commitment to boost its technological capabilities and service offerings.

Neil Potter, CEO of ROVOP, remarked: “We look forward to integrating with the Chouest family and leveraging their global resources to enhance our capabilities and expand our reach. This is a remarkable opportunity for growth, innovation and delivering even greater value to our clients.”

This acquisition comes after ROVOP pooled resources with Boskalis Subsea Services to establish a long-term global partnership to deliver integrated subsea solutions to the energy industry.

The business side of things has been going well for the UK firm, which was employed by Energean on a five-year contract last year, enabling it to deploy an ROV on board the gas-focused player’s field support vessel offshore Israel.