A marine firm is helping to drive national interest in Dorset's expanding port and engineering sectors.

Inter Marine Group president, Slawomir Kalicki met with MP Richard Harrington and South Dorset MP Richard Drax. Mr Kalicki said the meeting covered key local issues with the parliamentary undersecretary including infrastructure, investment, skills and training, job creation and funding.

Mr Kalicki said he briefed Mr Harrington on how Intermarine UK is a UK registered subsidiary company of the Gdynia, Poland headquartered Inter Marine Group. He explained how Intermarine UK is making a major commitment to Britain and the Dorset region after signing a 20-year lease and relocating its UK head office from Bridgend to Portland Port. The move is set to generate 60 new jobs for local people in the next two years. Mr Kalicki added the company had already won £800,000 of pipe system orders from a UK shipyard.

“The minister welcomed our investment in South Dorset and expressed his pleasure in seeing an international engineering firm offering skilled, long-term employment for the region,” he said. “He also emphasised major opportunities in industry around Portland Port aside from maritime, including petrochemical, civil engineering and nuclear. These are key target markets for Intermarine UK as we look to expand our footprint in the region in the coming months and years.

“More broadly, we were able to share details of our nationwide operation working with shipyards across the UK through our specialist ship repair service launched in March. This division offers a range of engineering services to the ship repair, refit, conversion and shipbuilding markets.”

Business and Industry Minister, Mr Harrington said: “It is great news that Intermarine’s investment in Portland Port will bring new jobs to the local area and will also help ensure UK shipbuilding expertise remains in the area for years to come. Through our modern Industrial Strategy and National Shipbuilding Strategy, we are working with the sector to attract more investment like this and secure a viable future for UK’s maritime sector.”

Mr Drax said the visit was important to raise awareness of Intermarine UK and Portland Port operations at minister level.

“It was a pleasure to organise a meeting between Mr Kalicki and Richard Harrington,” he said. “The arrival of Intermarine, at Portland Port is truly exciting and welcome. The company brings with it highly skilled jobs and good career prospects, which is exactly what we need in South Dorset. I look forward to working with the company in the years ahead and seeing it go from strength to strength.”

Intermarine UK has invested six-figure sums into new equipment at its Portland operation including bending machines, welding sets, CNC plasma machines and laser cutters. It focusses on delivering fabrication, welding and electrical services.