Global Underwater Hub ‘makes waves’ with Newcastle regional office opening

Global Underwater Hub (GUH), the trade and industry development body representing the UK’s growing £8bn underwater industry, has opened a new north England regional office in Newcastle upon Tyne.

The new premises mark the next phase in the organisation’s plans to support the future growth of this diverse, world-leading industry and the wider blue economy. With funding assistance from UK and Scottish governments, the base will serve as a hub for GUH’s members across the north of England.

Featuring a dedicated event space, the building will bring together companies working across the oil and gas, offshore energy, defence and subsea cable sectors in the region, and further afield, to enable collaboration and facilitate the exchange of ideas and technology across the sectors.

Major investment is planned around the UK and the world to harness the energy of our seas and oceans to generate power, increase connectivity and bolster food security, aiding the energy transition.

Through its new northern hub, GUH will provide its regional members with access to market intelligence and business growth support that enable these companies to capitalise on these opportunities and in turn support revenue generation, job creation, exports and inward investment.

The Newcastle office is also expected to welcome overseas trade delegations, helping cultivate global relationships. Over the past year, GUH has hosted groups from Barbados, China, Estonia, France, Latvia and Lithuania to learn about the knowledge, technology and expertise possessed by UK companies working across the underwater supply chain.

Neil Gordon, chief executive at GUH, commented: “Opening our Newcastle office is a vital part of GUH’s vision for the future of the underwater industry.

“By establishing our presence here, we are strategically located to champion and connect underwater businesses across the UK to ensure that the country remains at the forefront of the industry and creates a robust and transparent supply chain that leads the world and others can learn from.”

The opening event saw industry and regional leaders come together to find out more about GUH and how it will benefit the region. There was a technology demonstration from SMD featuring its latest development, SMD Horizon, which enables remote controlling of autonomous vehicles from any device with an internet connection.

SMD has been a member of the Global Underwater Hub and its predecessor for 18 years. Mike Jones, chair at SMD, added: “This is a huge achievement for the region. The North has a long track record of spearheading developments within underwater technology and this hub will help accelerate this even further.

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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