The future of Scottish Highlands subsea training and trials centre, the Underwater Centre, has been secured after receiving industry support.
The company will operate as a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, and will be funded and supported by its members including Oil and Gas UK, Subsea 7, TechnipFMC, Premier Oil and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
Senior representatives of Subsea 7, TechnipFMC and Premier Oil will join the board.
The restructure will ensure that industry continues to have access to critical, world-leading underwater training and can undertake subsea equipment trials.
The new company formally began operating on May 7.
The Underwater Centre is a purpose-built subsea training and trials facility and is based on the shore of Loch Linnhe, sheltered by the surrounding mountains.
Its location allows it to provide year-round training and testing in an open-water environment, while still being centrally located in Fort William, the largest town in the Scottish Highlands.
