Ten Years of the Curtis Marshall
When the Curtis Marshall was launched in 2015, she was the first commercial dive support vessel of her kind to be built entirely on Teesside in decades.
In March 2015, the Curtis Marshall was launched for the first time.
Built entirely on Teesside, she represented something bold and ambitious — a purpose-built dive support vessel, designed from the ground up to serve the growing offshore renewables sector.
Ten years on, she’s still doing exactly that.
Built on the Tees, Built for Purpose
When the Curtis Marshall was launched, she was the first commercial dive support vessel of her kind to be built entirely on Teesside in decades. Constructed at B Marshall Engineering’s yard on Dockside Road in Middlesbrough, the project was the result of a local partnership between Barry Marshall and Tony Curtis — combining marine fabrication with commercial diving expertise.
It was, and still is, a vessel with a clear purpose.
"From the first piece of steel to completion, it’s all been done here," said Chris Jakeman at the time. "It’s something that hasn’t been achieved for some time on the Tees. We want this to be the first of several vessels, to bring shipbuilding back to the Tees."
The 26-metre DSV was designed to fill a gap in the market: a smaller, more agile dive support vessel that could still meet the highest offshore standards. With Category 1 certification, she’s capable of operating up to 150 miles offshore, making her a practical and cost-effective alternative to larger DSVs.
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Dive Support at the Core
From day one, the Curtis Marshall has been centred around safe, efficient dive operations. Her integrated three-diver system, onboard decompression chamber, and IMCA D023-standard equipment were developed in collaboration with Sub Aqua Diving Services. She includes a fully containerised dive control system, CCTV monitoring, rescue davits, Clearcom comms, and an inboard HP compressor for bottle refills.
A walkabout control system allows full vessel manoeuvrability during dive ops, and her generous endurance (up to 21 days offshore) ensures she’s capable of supporting extended campaigns without compromise.
Proven in the Field
Over the past ten years, the Curtis Marshall has built a strong reputation across the UK offshore sector. She’s supported structural inspections, UXO investigations, environmental campaigns, ROV surveys, and cable intervention projects.
With a 75m² working deck, a 6T A-frame, HEILA main crane, and flexible deck winch systems, she’s adapted to a wide range of operational demands. Her design allows for rapid reconfiguration and custom setups thanks to the team's in-house fabrication capability.
And her performance offshore has consistently reflected the quality of her design and build.
A Decade On (Now with a Fresh Coat of Blue)
Ten years in, the Curtis Marshall remains a core part of the fleet. Her original mission — to provide reliable, high-quality dive support from a UK-built platform — hasn’t changed.
Behind her continued success is a dedicated crew, a responsive shore team, and a belief in doing things properly. From the steelwork to the systems, every aspect of the vessel was designed with longevity in mind — and it shows.
She’s not just a symbol of what can be built on the Tees — she’s a working example of what it means to build something right.
Enter the MJM Enterprise
The success of the Curtis Marshall laid the groundwork for future vessels, and her DNA can be seen clearly in the MJM Enterprise — launched in 2024.
While the Curtis Marshall was built with diving at its core, the MJM Enterprise represents an evolution of that thinking. Purpose-built as a multipurpose survey platform, she expands the fleet’s capability with DP0 station-keeping, a 1.2m moonpool and accommodation for 20.
Chris Jakeman described the Enterprise as a natural development: “This is a development of what we did for the Curtis Marshall. We wanted to be able to work in more severe sea conditions, which could otherwise limit our ability to conduct survey work.”
Designed in collaboration with S.C. McAllister and Company, the vessel bridges a market gap between smaller 15m vessels and larger 40m options. It was engineered for versatility, with improved seakeeping, enhanced fuel efficiency, and integrated systems designed with survey, geotechnical and environmental work in mind.
She builds on what the Curtis Marshall proved — that vessels built with care, experience and local expertise can meet the growing demands of the offshore wind industry.
Looking Ahead
The Curtis Marshall continues to support offshore campaigns around the UK, with availability for both short-term and extended works. As offshore wind and subsea infrastructure projects expand, the need for capable, proven dive support platforms remains strong.
To discuss your project get in touch with our team.
Here’s to the next chapter!
