East Anglia's growing importance to the offshore energy industry has been boosted after a global marine specialist announced plans to set up in Great Yarmouth.

A&P Group specialises in ship repair and conversion and has struck a partnership with Peel Ports in the town which will see a new office established, staffed by two full-time project managers.

The agreement builds upon Peel Ports' work to position Yarmouth at the centre of the offshore renewables industry off the east coast, including investing £7m to prepare the port as a supply base for future projects.

Under the agreement, A&P will work with Peel Ports to provide marine and ship repair services, as well as its mobile ship repair service, Afloat, which will be available to visiting vessels around the clock.

Richard Goffin, port director at Peel Ports Great Yarmouth, said: 'Our partnership with A&P Group is part of an ongoing commitment to offer added value services at Peel Ports Great Yarmouth, building on our existing investment programme that has seen £7m invested in facilities to support the offshore sector.

'A&P Group is a leader in its field and the impact of this partnership will create new opportunities in the supply chain, benefiting the local economy.'

Great Yarmouth port is already the operations and maintenance base for the operational Scroby Sands wind farm and the proposed Dudgeon wind farm, and was last year named the construction base for the East Anglia One project, due to deliver first power by 2019.

David McGinley, managing director of A&P Group, said: 'This is a strong alliance for the A&P Group as it gives us an invaluable presence on the east coast and importantly, establishes an even stronger, working relationship with Peel Ports Group.

'In particular, we have a strong history of supporting wave, tidal and offshore floating wind developers as well as major renewable companies, and it's this experience and heritage that make us well placed to partner with Peel Ports Group in the creation of a marine services hub.'

Great Yarmouth port was acquired by the Peel Ports Group in December 2015.