Fast-growing offshore company Red7Marine Offshore has appointed its first chief executive after investing £25m in the company this year.

Martin Myhill Sisley joins the UK's leading independent air diving provider in the same week as its new specialist vessel, Red7 Alliance, arrived at its Great Yarmouth base.

The vessel came into the port on Sunday, heralding the company's expansion into saturation diving - a technique that allows divers to reduce the risk of decompression sickness when they work at great depth for long periods of time - and bringing more than a dozen extra jobs to the borough.

Capable of working worldwide, the vessel, which leaves for its first job next week, is ideally placed for use by companies working in the southern and central North Sea.

It offers customers cost savings because its nearest competitor vessel would have to travel from Aberdeen, Holland or Germany.

With 25 years' offshore industry experience, Mr Sisley, 43, is looking to expand the Yarmouth and Aberdeen-based company further, developing its expertise, fleet and services. The company – whose turnover has increased 10-fold since its formation in 2008, from £5.5m to more than £50m this year - has carved a reputation as the 'go to' offshore diving and support services provider in the renewables industry.

It employs nearly 60 people in Yarmouth.

The new post means a move 'home' for Norfolk born and bred Mr Sisley after 20 years in Aberdeen.

He said: 'The move back had to be for the right company. The main attraction of Red7Marine, as well as the acquisition of the Red7 Alliance, was that it has done so well and I could see there were clearly further opportunities for the company.'

Mr Sisley's appointment comes after Red7Marine Offshore was established earlier this year to run Red7Marine Group's growing range of offshore and subsea services to the oil and gas and renewables industries.

He joins the company – soon to announce key on and offshore job opportunities - from Ocean Installer in Aberdeen where, as managing director, he was its first UK-based employee, building a staff of 70 and a turnover of £25m.

Brought up at Hethersett, attending Hethersett and Notre Dame School in Norwich, he first worked offshore at 18, following in the footsteps of his father, who was a diver.

An office-based role in his early 20s meant a move to Aberdeen where he had roles spanning the industry, including operations, marketing, commercial and business development for Oceaneering, Halliburton Subsea, Subsea7 Saipem.

Returning to Norfolk with his wife and three children has always been a plan.

'I've never really left. We always spend two weeks sailing on the Broads every summer.

'My family is here, all of my mother's side of the family,' he said.

Mike Jones, Red7Marine director, said: 'The need for this senior appointment comes as a direct result of the huge opportunities that are now in front of us.'