A DEEP sea cable laying firm is planning a serious move into the regions fast growing offshore wind sector, following new investment.

The new funding for CTC Marine Projects follows a restructuring of its parent company, Trico Marine Services, which saw control of the Darlington based firm pass to a newly established Norwegian operator DeepOcean Group.

Yesterday CTC said the change would provide job security for its staff, about 120 of which are based at its facilities in Darlington and Teesport.

Although the firm, based in Coniscliffe Road, has already carried out work for several renewable energy projects, its main specialism is in laying cables for the oil and gas sector.

CTC, which has the world's largest trenching and cable burying fleet, said it had the support of DeepOcean to capitalise on the boom in offshore wind farm projects, both by developing and upgrading its equipment and through added investment to help it secure contracts. Business development director Pierre Boyde, said: "CTC is now one of the strongest cable burial companies in the world, and has the financial backing and experience to confidently take on new work in offshore renewables.

"We are particularly keen to support the local offshore wind farm work, which is emerging from the Tees Valley area, as a springboard in demonstrating how CTC and our local suppliers can service the UK's future demands."

CTCs track record in renewables includes securing a contract with German firm Norddeutsche Seekabelwerke, on behalf of Bard Engineering, to install and trench 80 cables at its North Sea wind farm.

In May last year it won a contract to install and trench underwater cables for the £42m Wave Hub development, the world's largest test site for tidal power technology.

It comes as the North-East is establishing itself as a hub of expertise in the offshore wind market.

Last month wind turbine installation vessel The MPI Adventure arrived at its new Teesport home after being built in China.

One of the first tasks of the ship, the largest in the fleet owned by MPI Offshore, based in Stokesley, North Yorkshire, will be installing foundation components for the London Array offshore windfarm in the Thames Estuary.

MPI chairman Paul Gibson described the ships arrival as a landmark event.

He said: "I am delighted to see the significant progress that is being made in our business to facilitate the installation of offshore wind.

"The team and I still have a lot of hard work ahead of us to embrace the exciting challenges the offshore wind industry has to offer."

Two weeks ago TAG Energy Solutions said its new facility manufacturing foundations for offshore wind turbines at Haverton Hill, Billingham, near Stockton, will begin production this month.

Initially creating 100 jobs, a further 300 are likely to follow should orders at the £20m plant meet expectations.

In addition Hartlepool firm JDR Cables, is a world leader in producing turbine cables, the Tekmar Group, based in Newton Aycliffe, produces cable protection devices, Clipper Windpower is developing the world's largest turbine blade at a £25m plant near Newcastle, and Europe's leading wind turbine testing factory is at the New and Renewable Energy Centre, in Northumberland.

Both CTC Marine and its sister company DeepOcean AS now come under the remit of DeepOcean Group.