Osbit lands offshore trencher contract

A North East engineering specialist has secured a new offshore wind contract that will support investment in regional supply chains and its continued expansion at the Port of Blyth.

Northumberland-based Osbit has been appointed by Belgian offshore construction company Jan De Nul Group to design and build a specialised shallow water trencher for renewable energy projects across Europe and beyond.

Designed at Osbit’s headquarters in Riding Mill and built at its Build and Test facility in Blyth, the machine will bury high-voltage power cables up to five metres beneath the seabed.

It will be capable of moving between subsea and land trenching without operator intervention, helping connect offshore wind farms to national power grids across complex nearshore environments.

The trencher is currently in detailed design and is scheduled for delivery from Blyth in late 2026, before beginning its first commercial campaign in early 2027.

Its development is expected to generate further investment across the North East supply chain, with regional manufacturers and specialist suppliers contributing components.

Phil Pennington, director at Osbit, said: “Osbit has always maintained strong ties to our local supply chain here in the North East. 

“The region’s industrial heritage gives us exceptional manufacturing capability, positioning the North East as a world-leading hub for engineering innovation in the energy transition.

“Projects like this not only bring investment and highly skilled jobs to the region, but also demonstrate the importance of inspiring future generations through STEM engagement. 

“We want young people to see the scale of opportunity available in this sector and understand they can play a direct role in shaping a cleaner energy future.”

The appointment builds on Osbit’s investment at the Port of Blyth, where it opened a dedicated Build and Test facility in early 2025 and is planning further expansion to support a growing pipeline of offshore energy projects.

Further growth is expected to create new engineering and manufacturing jobs through 2027 and beyond, while generating additional opportunities for the North East supply chain.

Part of offshore wind services business Venterra Group, Osbit also operates in Rotterdam and Edinburgh and develops specialist equipment for offshore wind, oil and gas and subsea projects.

Want your business, product or service to be seen regionally and nationally? Bdaily helps you get your story in front of the right audience, every day. Find out how Bdaily can help →

Join more than 55,000 subscribers by signing up to our daily bulletin each morning here.