A woman from South Africa has come to eastern coast of England to build and run a major fleet of offshore wind farm support vessels.
Leslie Robertson’s story is, in fact, remarkable in many ways. Almost single-handedly she has created a service that leading UK energy suppliers have come to depend upon.
“It was my good fortune to be in the right place at the right time – working for MPI Offshore when the offshore wind farm boom began,” Robertson says. “I saw an opportunity to develop a service to support the turbine builders and operators, and my company gave me the backing I needed. We started with one vessel, and today we have eight – including seven Scania powered boats – with a further four new builds on order. The growth of the wind farm industry means exciting times for us for sure.”
As General Manager for MPI Workboats, Robertson takes responsibility for every aspect of the operation, which currently serves a number of offshore wind farms bordering Britain’s eastern shores. “I have a small, tight-knit team behind me, and we do it all from day-to-day operating schedules to overseeing the production of our new builds,” she says. “The service we provide is 24/7, 365 days a year, and our customers demand a service which is both ultra-fast and reliable. This is an industry where time very much means money. In turn, that means we have to rely upon equipment that’s reliable, dependable and entirely fit for purpose. Nothing less will do.
“To sum it up, I’d say my job is all about keeping our fleet up and running and our crews and customers happy and meeting our deadlines in the most safe and efficient manner at all times” Robertson says.
“Sure, it’s a demanding role, and every day brings new challenges. But I love it. I wouldn’t change it for the world!”
[mappress]
Press release, June 21, 2013; Image: mpi-offshore