SFF Services Limited (SFFSL), the commercial wing of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF), is pleased to announce the signing of a copyright licence agreement with Horizon Ocean Management Ltd (HOM) in Japan.

The agreement will see a version of SFFSL’s Vessel Operational Procedures (VOP) Manual being used as a blueprint by HOM to help build and customise a vessel operational manual to suit Japanese coastal regulation and to meet the specific requirements of the Japanese offshore renewables market.

SFFSL’s first formal VOP Manual was published in 2000, with the current edition incorporating detailed procedures for vessel services such as guard duty, seismic survey support, trawl sweep and oil spill response amongst others. QHSE policies & procedures, marine assurance matters, specific vessel work scopes & responsibilities along with emergency response and inclement weather procedures are all referred to within the document.

Steven Alexander, Managing Director of SFFSL commented:

“From discussions that have taken place to date between Horizon Ocean Management and SFF Services Limited, we are pleased to provide a copy of our Vessel Operational Procedures Manual under licence with the hope that this may prove helpful and beneficial in establishing and nurturing a long-term working relationship between the Japanese fishing and offshore renewables industries.

“Our vessel and personnel procedures for operating in Scottish waters have been developed over a number of years now, and whilst we are always looking for continuous improvement, it is satisfying to know that our manual has now reached a level where it is now being used as a blueprint for providing vessel services to the offshore renewables market in another continent.”

Nobuyuki Takagi, Managing Director of HOM commented:

“We are pleased to sign the licence agreement with SFF Services Limited for their Vessel Operation Procedure Manual. The background to this agreement is not only operational or procedural, but also seeking a real model of co-existence between offshore wind and the fishing industry and how we build safety culture in both industries in Japan. We believe that the Japanese Offshore Wind industry can learn a lot from Scotland, which is a leading country in offshore energy, including offshore wind. SFF Services’ 35 years of experience and contribution is one of the real stories we would like to learn lessons from. Horizon Ocean Management is committed to contributing to a safe and sustainable offshore wind industry in Japan and to long-term co-existence with stakeholders, including the fishing industry and local communities, helping to facilitate sustainable growth for all involved.”

Both parties are thankful to Scottish Development International for the initial introduction.

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