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Pict Offshore’s global plans for safety-first system

Pict Offshore’s Get Up Safe system reduces risk for offshore wind platform technicians. Find out how we’ve supported the company to develop its product and catalyse global opportunities. 

13 January 2025 | 6 minute read

Based in Inverkeithing, Pict Offshore Ltd creates innovative access and lifting solutions for the offshore wind industry.

The company’s debut product, the Get Up Safe (GUS) system, was designed to make moving between crew transfer vessels (CTVs) and offshore wind platform structures safer. 

The every-day risk for offshore wind crew

Since the earliest days of the offshore wind industry, there’s been one way for technicians to get from CTVs onto platforms. This process involves the CTV aligning with the platform structure and the technician climbing onto a ladder attached to its side.

Each day in the offshore wind industry, tens of thousands of ‘transfers’ like these take place. Despite rigorous health and safety precautions, this process can be dangerous, particularly in bad weather or rough waters. If the CTV moves while the technician is transferring to the ladder, they risk being caught between the structure and the CTV, with extreme consequences. 

Pict Offshore’s safety solution

The founders of Pict Offshore knew there had to be a safer way of getting technicians onto platforms. In 2016, they began research and development, with support from ORE Catapult and Ørsted, the world’s largest developer of offshore wind energy.

The team went on to design and develop the Get Up Safe (GUS) system, partly inspired by a piece of equipment already used in offshore wind called a ‘walk to work’ gangway.

As the industry has grown, bigger wind farms have been built further offshore. Using CTVs every day for these long distances is inefficient. Instead, crew stay on service operation vessels (SOVs) which dock next to the platform structure.

The gangways form a bridge between the SOV and platform, and leverage heave compensation technology to allow technicians to walk safely across.
GUS uses the same heave compensation principles, but can be used by vessels of all sizes.

In simple terms, GUS is a small crane with automatic heave compensation and sensors that monitor the position of a vessel’s deck during transfers. Technicians are attached to the crane using a safety harness and can then be lifted between the vessel and platform.

While this is happening, the crane responds in real time to deck movements, extending or reducing the line to keep the technician safe. In doing so, it eases the safety risks associated with sudden deck movement. It also spares technicians long and difficult ladder climbs, saving time, physical effort, and further reducing risk. 

A truly global opportunity

The GUS system is a significant milestone in the history of access onto offshore windfarms. Until its commercialisation, all offshore wind farms incorporated boat landings and ladders.

GUS drastically reduces the risks associated with this traditional method and allows access to platforms in marginal sea state conditions. As a result, windfarms where it’s been deployed have removed boat landings altogether. The redesign reduces the foundational complexity of the structures, creating more economic benefits.

It’s already been successfully deployed at scale at one of Ørsted's UK project sites, as well as at the Southfork Wind site in the USA. Now, Pict Offshore is working to get GUS truly global.  

The offshore wind industry is poised for massive growth over the next ten years with countries around the world setting ambitious climate targets. Offshore wind, as the most mature method of producing clean energy, promises results. This represents a huge export opportunity for Pict.

There’s plenty of growth potential at home, too, because Pict Offshore happens to be based in the ‘wind break of Europe’. Scotland currently sits in the top 10 offshore wind markets worldwide and has an enormous project pipeline.

How we’ve supported Pict Offshore

Knowing which opportunities to pursue and which markets to target can be a challenge for businesses with big ambitions. That’s where we can help.

We’ve been working with Pict Offshore since the early days of GUS, connecting the company with our services, advice, and funding.

Philip Taylor, Managing Director at Pict Offshore, has said that “Scottish Enterprise has been critical for our growth. It’s a partner with us in this journey and it’s great to work with an enterprise that has matching ambitions.”

Most recently, we’ve helped Pict Offshore to explore overseas markets. Delegates from the company have accompanied us on numerous trade missions, and we’ve connected it to our international arm, Scottish Development International (SDI).

SDI has in-country experts who offer invaluable insight into local suppliers, customers, and potential clients. They speak the local language and understand local culture – crucial when engaging with new connections in different markets.

Big opportunities, even bigger ambition

While the offshore wind industry is well established, it’s still relatively young. As it grows, innovative solutions like the GUS system are going to be highly sought after.

Pict Offshore wants to play its part in solving the climate crisis by transforming the crew transfer process with GUS. It believes that it not only meets the industry’s need for increased safety during transfers but allows wind farms to be built more cost effectively. These two fundamental benefits make it an attractive solution for offshore wind farms all over the world, and that’s where Pict has set its sights.

In reaching global markets with its product, Pict Offshore hopes to contribute positively to Scotland, and the Fife economy it’s based in. It’s a goal for the company to have an extensive supply chain in the local area and to employ local people to build its products.

“We’ve seen Scottish companies go from small beginning to becoming multinationals, and it’s fantastic to imagine Pict could be the same.” Ambitious words from the managing director of an even more ambitious company. We back it. 

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