SEAFARERS’ jobs are at risk after the firm which supplies North Sea oil and gas rigs with provisions and equipment was taken over by a United States-based operator, union RMT said today.

The union called for government intervention to protect the jobs as well as terms and conditions, such as minimum pay.

Rigs off the coasts of Scotland and northern England are provisioned by British-registered GulfMark, which operates the supply fleet. But the company was taken over by Tidewater, which is based in Houston, Texas, last Thursday.

The takeover makes Tidewater the world’s largest operator of offshore supply vessels.

RMT says the takeover puts 300 jobs at risk, and says that neither company has been prepared to talk to the union — despite RMT being officially recognised as the union representing the seafarers.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash called for an immediate meeting with Tidewater in Aberdeen, the offshore industry’s North Sea base.

He also said he “fully expects” Shipping Minister Nusrat Ghani “to step in to protect seafarers’ jobs in the North Sea, if necessary.”

“Predatory companies seeking to slash terms and conditions and discriminate against foreign seafarers by paying well below the national minimum wage must be driven out of the shipping industry,” said Mr Cash.

“As we head for the EU exit, non-EU companies in the North Sea need a strong reminder from trade unions and the government of the need to protect British seafarers’ jobs and trade union rights in the offshore supply sector.”