Scottish shipowner North Star has clinched a number of new contracts worth more than £100m ($134m) for oil and gas response work.

The deals cover new and existing clients on UK continental shelf platforms.

The company’s emergency response and rescue vessel (ERRV) fleet will work at new and existing locations.

The contracts come with multi-year extension options and represent North Star’s biggest ERRV win in recent years.

The company is the North Sea’s biggest operator of such ships with 41 units.

Chief executive Matthew Gordon said the deals show the confidence the industry has in the company.

“Our highly effective and reliable fleet…continues to provide a safe place in case of an incident for the thousands of people working out at sea on oil and gas assets every hour of every day, solidly across the year,” he added.

And the CEO said: “I’m proud to say that we have never left any client’s offshore workforce unsupported, ensuring there is always a vessel on standby to enable any crew changes, help to replenish stores on the installation, or support regular maintenance.”

North Star believes the North Sea is still a very competitive market and the company recognises the need for continual investment in the fleet.

Offshore wind move

Last year, North Star entered the UK’s offshore wind market with contracts to build and operate service operation vessels (SOVs) at Equinor, SSE Renewables and Eni’s Dogger Bank farms. Charters for the business total more than $500m.

In January, Swiss investment company Partners Group agreed to buy the expanding owner from private equity player Basalt Infrastructure Partners.

The Swiss fund pledged to push North Star into new global markets.

Gordon said: “The offshore wind sector is on an upwards trajectory across Europe, and we are in a very strong position to capitalise on our growing momentum to secure further new business in this sector.”

“At the same time, we remain focused on ensuring we deliver the same high standard of services and support our North Sea operator clients are accustomed to,” he added.