A 9,000-tonne rig has appeared in Great Yarmouth port, left in limbo after its owners lost the contract to a £2.5bn project.

Eastern Daily Press: Scylla height comparisonScylla height comparison (Image: Copyright: Archant 2019)

Seajack's Scylla rig was due to host 140 employees, as well as creating 75 new jobs and five apprenticeships, having won a wind turbine installation project with Scottish Power Renewables.

However it was announced last week that the Gorleston-based business had lost the East Anglia One contract due to delays in construction.

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Eastern Daily Press: On board Seajacks' Scylla. Picture: James BassOn board Seajacks' Scylla. Picture: James Bass (Image: Archant Norfolk © 2016)

The vessel, which has desk space of more than 5,000 msq, has been parked up in the Norfolk town ready to assist in the project if needed.

A spokesman for Seajacks said: 'Scylla is currently jacked up in Great Yarmouth harbour, available for charter.

'Seajacks Scylla does not have a contract to install jackets on East Anglia One, but the company remains hopeful that it will be well placed for any additional installation work that materialises on the project, based on Scylla's capability and the positive impact this revenue would have on the Great Yarmouth-based company.'

Eastern Daily Press: The Scylla vessel at work. Picture: SeajacksThe Scylla vessel at work. Picture: Seajacks (Image: Archant)

The vessel is the largest offshore wind installation vessel in the world and has 105m-long legs that can install turbine components in depths up to 65m.

It also has a helicopter deck and can sleep up to 130 people.

The Scylla vessel was due to work in tandem with a Svanen vessel from Dutch firm Van Oord.

However, the entire project has now been given to the Dutch company which installed the monopiles – steel tubes that support turbines – and transition pieces for the Burbo Bank Extension project.

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A spokesman for Van Oord said they had been commissioned to 'function as the main contractor for our East Anglia One windfarm responsible for transport and installation of the offshore wind turbine foundations, including logistics and deployment of the equipment'.

Charlie Jordan, project director of ScottishPower Renewables's East Anglia One windfarm, told the BBC that while Seajacks may have lost out on that project, it has picked up other work.

He said the offshore industry was 'booming – everyone's working and no-one is losing out'.