Some of the 70-odd European and US research vessels working in Irish waters might be tempted into Galway docks more often, now that a new technical support base has been opened by the Marine Institute in the west.
The main aim of the £1.3 million joint venture is to service our own vessel, the 31-metre Celtic Voyager, but it will be engaged in many other projects associated with our 220-million-acre offshore resource.
Known as Marine Technology Development Services (MTDS) Ltd, the initiative is a public-private partnership between the Marine Institute and Marine Technology Ltd, a marine engineering company which moved from Meath to Galway. Some £700,000 in Government and EU money has been invested, with a further £600,000 injected by the private company.
The base already employs seven people and may lead to the creation of 1,000 jobs in the marine technology sector over the next five years, according to the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Dr Woods.
Speaking at the official opening last Friday at the city's Parkmore industrial estate, the Minister said that MTDS Ltd would support the development of innovative marine engineering technologies and "enhance the competitiveness of Irish technology products in lucrative international markets".
Over the last 20 years, Irish marine technology companies have earned some £250 million by providing structural, marine, offshore and IT expertise to international customers.
The base will "also better position Irish companies to service offshore oil and gas exploration and development of offshore wind/wave energy projects," the Minister said.
MTDS is chaired by Fergus Cahill, formerly of the Irish National Petroleum Corporation, and is managed by Eugene Lavelle.
It is currently working on a multi-beam sonar which is due to be fitted to the Celtic Voyager later this year. Although the instrumentation is Norwegian, the housing was designed and manufactured in the west.