ROVOP grows with new Middle East base

UK-based ROVOP, a provider of underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), has expanded in the Middle East with a new base in the region.

ROVOP said on Sunday that two senior members of staff – operations director Doug Middleton and business development consultant Michael O’Donnell – would staff the new Middle East operation.

The pair will be relocating to the region to lead the expansion of services to clients.

Middleton said: “We look forward to expanding our services and number of clients in the Middle East – which will be bolstered by having a hub in the region, along with the provision of a quality of ROV service that was not widely available there previously.

“ROVOP already has equipment on the ground in the region, and so is ready to fulfill our customers’ needs immediately in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar.”

The company also expanded with adding more ROVs to its fleet last month, bringing ROVOP’s total operational fleet to 51. The company purchased the entire fleet of 28 ROV systems from compatriot ROV and vessel services provider M² Subsea.

Following a technical review, 19 of these systems met the ROVOP standard and were added to its fleet, with the remaining ROVs either being decommissioned or sold.

Steven Gray, CEO at ROVOP, added: “Our goal of having a base located in the Middle East is to continue our excellent track record of service and to offer our newly expanded ROV fleet to our clients in the region.”