Ocean Kinetics has taken a major step forward in its sustainability journey by rolling out more than 30 low-emission vans in partnership with Gofor.

The new fleet supports operations across the remote locations of Shetland, Orkney and Aberdeen, building upon a successful four-year partnership between the engineering firm and fleet management specialist Gofor.

The vehicles include a mix of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, meeting operational needs while reflecting the realities of operating in remote environments.

John Henderson, managing director for Ocean Kinetics, commented: “As a responsible business, we’re committed to building a sustainable future by looking after the environment, maximising resources and minimising waste.

“Transitioning to a lower-emission fleet is a key part of that commitment. Gofor has worked closely with us to deliver a fleet solution that reduces our carbon footprint while remaining operationally viable for the remote environments in which we operate.”

As part of its biannual fleet review process, Gofor supported Ocean Kinetics in selecting vehicles suited to the remote geography. Chosen for their reliability and local maintainability, the new van fleet is predominantly made up of Ford Transit Custom and Transit Connect models. Ocean Kinetics has also introduced five fully electric company cars, including Polestar 2 and BMW i5 models, further supporting its decarbonisation strategy.

To counter limited public charging on the islands, Ocean Kinetics invested in workplace infrastructure to support the transition.

Robert Lea, recently appointed sales and marketing director at Gofor, said: “We focus on building true partnerships with our customers. Our senior account manager Kashif Hussain, holds regular updates with the Ocean Kinetics team, including time onsite, to appreciate their challenges first-hand. That proactive approach ensures we have a true understanding of their complex operational requirements and has enabled us to design and implement a fleet strategy that works in practice – whether that’s coordinating seamless vehicle deliveries to the islands or long-term decarbonisation planning.”