With its location on the North East England coast and huge fabrication facilities, bosses at A&P Tyne at Hebburn said the yard is ideally placed to win offshore construction work, including ambitious plans for wind turbines around the UK coastline.

The Hebburn yard is aiming to cash in on the growing renewable energy sector, boosting jobs and contracts, outside its normal ship repair and conversion work.

Stewart Boak, managing director of A&P Tyne, said: "We are promoting A&P Tyne in the renewables market and seeking fabrication opportunities relating to wind, wave and tidal power generation devices.

"This business will be developed alongside our ship refitting, conversion, repair and building markets.

"A&P Tyne has an excellent and modern fabrication facility, with the recent installation of the new panel line and plasma burning machines.

"When you consider our location, with deep-water berths and a heavy load out quay, we can offer cost-effective solutions to customers."

A&P Tyne and its sister facility at Falmouth are seen as central in the move towards marine renewable work.

The Hebburn yard is involved in a £55m Ministry of Defence (MoD) contract to build part of HMS Queen Elizabeth, the first of two Royal Navy aircraft carriers.

The contract will safeguard more than 200 jobs at the borough yard over the next four years.

Chris Bell, A&P Group managing director, said: "Our interest is in the fabrication, engineering, assembly and deployment of future devices to generate renewable energy.

"A&P Tyne has one of the UK's largest port fabrication facilities, which is constructing aircraft carrier sections for the MoD.

"With a core business of vessel conversion, the yard has a track record in the offshore construction industry."