Figures published by the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) reveal that globally there was a reduction in offshore diving work in 2010, compared with 2009.
A peak of close to 3,500 diving personnel were employed offshore worldwide by the 43 IMCA members who responded to the survey. This compared with a peak of 4,000 last year, from just 35 reporting companies. The IMCA suggested that the drop in numbers may be attributable to the economic environment.
Air-diving operations exceeded saturation diving by approximately 50 percent, with a trend reversal in IMCA's Europe & Africa Section where air-diving exceeded saturation diving, and with the highest number of air divers being in the IMCA's Middle East & India Section.
The IMCA collected the data with respect to three dates in 2010 – 1 May, 1 July and 1 September – to assess personnel levels at the start, height and end of the North Sea season. Representing a snapshot, the figures only include those actually working on the three days of the survey, and do not include personnel who were off on leave, sick, or not working for any reason.