The winners of the 2024 Subsea Expo Awards

Aberdeenshire firm J+S Subsea was one of the big winners at this week’s (Wednesday, 21) Subsea Expo Awards in Aberdeen, picking up two accolades.

The Kintore-based firm collected the Company of the Year Award – under 50 employees, which was sponsored by Ocean Installer, reflecting its strong growth in recent years. A second award came in the Rising Star category where J+S Subsea’s environmental and sustainability adviser Kairvee Tyagi won the award in a strong field of nominees.

Organised by Global Underwater Hub, the prestigious annual Subsea Expo Awards celebrate the achievements of companies and individuals working across the oil and gas, decommissioning, offshore energy, defence, aquaculture and marine science sectors.  Around 500 guests attended the black-tie event at P&J Live.

Acknowledging its excellence in international trade, Hartlepool-based subsea technologies and services provider JDR Cable Systems won the Global Exports Awards, which was sponsored by Kraken Robotics. The company, which employs a global workforce of around 550 people and operates in a number of international markets including Asia, Brazil and the Middle East.

The Safety Innovation Award, sponsored by J+S Subsea, was won by TechnipFMC UK for two new health and safety initiatives introduced it in 2023 – Duty of Care and Safe Choice.

Collecting the Technology Development Award for their new i-COT ROV system were joint entrants Sonomatic and Geo Oceans. The award, sponsored by C-Kore Systems, recognises excellence in developing a new technology and bringing it to market.

The top business award of the night went to electrical monitoring and asset integrity solutions provider Viper Innovations, which lifted the Company of the Year Award – over 50 employees.

Subsea Expo Awards 2024 Outstanding Contribution Award winner Neil Kermode, managing director, EMEC

This year’s Outstanding Contribution Award was presented to Neil Kermode OBE, managing director of the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney. For the past 20 years, Mr Kermode has dedicated his career to combatting climate change, reducing carbon emissions and driving the global development of the marine renewable energy sector.

Former Global Underwater Hub Operations director Trish Banks was the recipient of a special award in recognition for her near two decades of serving the subsea industry. Before retiring last autumn, Mrs Banks spent 19 years working for Global Underwater Hub and its predecessor Subsea UK.

Neil Gordon, chief executive of Global Underwater Hub, said:
“The Subsea Expo Awards recognise the innovators, collaborators, exporters, companies and individuals leading the way in the underwater industry. What the awards show year on year is the strength and diversity of the UK’s underwater supply chain as well as the talent and expertise working across it.”

The awards are a highlight of the three-day Subsea Expo exhibition and conference which took place from Tuesday, 20 to Thursday, 22 February at P&J Live.

KeyFacts Energy Industry Directory: Global Underwater Hub