UK businesses looking to enter or expand within the offshore renewable energy sector can now apply for the national Fit For Offshore Renewables (F4OR) programme, managed by ORE Catapult. Sponsored by the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership (OWGP), this programme aims to help companies become ready to tender and secure offshore wind contracts. Applications are open until 6 November 2024.
This marks only the second time that sponsored F4OR places have been offered nationwide, building on ten successful regional and national initiatives that have helped the UK supply chain prepare for the offshore renewable energy market. Since 2019, F4OR has supported over 130 companies, many of which have experienced a 28% average increase in turnover and secured new contracts.
Davood Sabaei, F4OR programme manager at ORE Catapult, said: “The UK has forged an enviable reputation for consistent engineering excellence and product innovation, and the F4OR programme provides an ideal route for companies with the right combination of key skills, expertise, and leadership to make the transition to the renewable energy sector.”
Participants will undergo a comprehensive evaluation process assessing health and safety, environmental practices, project management capabilities, and financial stability. A mix of fully and partially funded places will be available, and medium and large businesses must either hold or be working towards ISO 9001 accreditation.
Anil Sayhan, programme director at OWGP, said: “We are delighted to partner with ORE Catapult to launch this UK national Fit for Offshore Renewables programme, which aims to empower companies to acquire the requisite skills to improve their tender readiness as they seek to enter or grow in the UK's fast-growing offshore wind market.”
He added, “We incorporated F4OR into our growing suite of business transformation programmes to enable more companies to effectively bid for work in the offshore wind market.”
