Fourth-quarter figures this week revealed that Oslo-listed Aker Solutions took in the most new contracts in nearly four years of the offshore downturn.

Evidence of a huge increase in subsea activity, with actual contracts gained, is another encouraging data point for the many shipowners supplying costly vessels to the subsea sector.

“There is a surge in demand for our front-end engineering capabilities, which is where we see the greatest potential to optimise the value of a field development,” Aker chief executive Luis Araujo said.