Fishermen’s Co-Op Lands Oceantic Network’s Ventus Award as Program of the Year in Health, Safety, Environment

(Virginia Beach, VA – April 30, 2025) – Sea Services North America was selected as the international offshore wind energy Program of the Year in the Health, Safety & Environment category of the prestigious Ventus Awards presented by the industry’s largest member organization, Oceantic Network.

The award was presented Tuesday night as part of Oceantic’s four-day International Partnering Forum, the industry’s largest annual gathering in the Americas. Ventus is Latin for wind.

Sea Services has operations in six states, overseen from its headquarters in New London, CT, the Northeast hub for offshore wind farm component staging and shipping. Sea Services was also a finalist nominated in the Supply Chain Advancement – Private sector category, the only member nominated for two awards.

Sea Services employs a unique co-operative model to utilize locally sourced fishing vessels and crews to provide scout and safety vessel services to wind farm developers. Vessel owners and crews gain employment opportunities, vessel upgrades, and crew training that meets stringent global offshore wind safety standards. Developers gain a better understanding of the local environment and improved relationships with commercial fishermen working around wind farm sites.

“We truly appreciate this hard-earned recognition. This award validates what our fishermen have known since we started in 2020 – that Sea Services provides income and safer working conditions for commercial fishermen and their families while our crews ensure that this new industry operates with sensitivity and respect for area fishing grounds,” said Gary Yerman, a long-time commercial fisherman who established Sea Services and serves as Fleet Manager. “Sea Services was founded based on improving safety at Sea for commercial fishermen through offshore wind work.  So to receive an industry-wide award for highlighting the excellence of our safety program is a real honor.”

To date, more than 150 fishermen have been trained to work on 22 vessels homeported in six states, contributing significantly to local economies. SSNA’s initiatives increase safety and provide opportunities to supplement the challenges of commercial fishing. Through these partnerships, SSNA has scouted over 10,000 miles of seabed to identify active and “ghost,” or abandoned, gear. This gear identification work avoids damage to fishermen’s gear and entanglements with developers’ cable vessels that can cause costly downtime.

These scouting missions, utilizing the fishermen’s native knowledge and specialized skills, boast a “zero strike” record, ensuring projects stay on schedule.

Every vessel in SSNA’s fleet undergoes an extensive 130-point safety inspection by certified marine safety experts, ensuring compliance with standards that surpass U.S. Coast Guard regulations. Additionally, crew members perform daily safety and emergency drills and are required to meet rigorous training and certification standards to work with SSNA.

SSNA has distributed $21 million to local fishing vessel owners and crews, further strengthening the local economy while advancing offshore wind energy goals.

“Sea Services North America is leading the way by demonstrating a successful partnership between the fishing community and offshore wind – all the while putting safety and community at the forefront of their operations,” said Liz Burdock, president and CEO of Oceantic Network. “By building trust, upgrading fleets, and training fishermen to meet global safety standards, they’ve created a new model for what collaboration between ocean users can look like, creating a vision of shared success.”

“I’m especially proud to win the Health, Safety and Environment Award because that acknowledges our commitment to keeping crews safe at sea,” said Sea Services President and CEO Gordon Videll. “This recognition of our unique co-op business model sets us apart as a leader in the development of this new American industry.”

The Ventus Awards recognize groundbreaking individuals, companies, and initiatives advancing the global adoption of offshore wind energy and ocean renewables. These awards are the highest honor bestowed by Oceanic Network.

Oceanic Network refers to Ventus Award finalists as those who are “leading the global industry and driving innovation.” Sea Services North America participated in the four-day conference as a partner with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.