Offshore support vessel owners are set for a prolonged improvement after a difficult decade.

Clarksons Research managing director Stephen Gordon believes energy security issues could prove a boon for a sector that has endured a very difficult time over the last decade.

The Clarksons offshore index of rates has reached a seven-year high of 80 points, up 68% from 2018, supported by increasing activity and multi-year impacts on fleet supply of consolidation, restructuring, limited newbuilding and ongoing removals.