About Us

A World-Class Martime & Offshore Cluster, when you want to work in the maritime & offshore sectors in the EU or UK, NIMO is your network partner of choice.

Origins

NIMO strives to inspire and support the next generation, cultivate talent, and ensure a sustainable future for the maritime and offshore sectors in Northern Ireland. We are a group of like-minded companies, committed to working together for the collective benefit, and the greater good of Northern Ireland.

NI Maritime & Offshore has been supported by Invest Northern Ireland through its Collaborative Growth Network and Cluster Acceleration Programme.

Inspiring Future Generations

NIMO was established to unite the Maritime and Offshore sectors in Northern Ireland, to drive local economic expansion and unlock opportunities sustainably, through innovation and collaboration.

NIMO Timeline

Milestones

We recognise our rich maritime history, and we are proud of our heritage as it has led to the vibrant, innovative private sector that exists today. NIMO is supported by Invest Northern Ireland through its Collaborative Growth Programme and by the UK Department for Transport through the Maritime Cluster Development Fund.

Our Team / leadership

Sam McCloskey

Chair of NIMO, Head of Stakeholder Engagement, Simply Blue Energy

Sam McCloskey is a leading figure in the clean energy and offshore development landscape across Northern Ireland and Ireland, bringing over two decades of experience in sustainability, research leadership, and strategic project delivery. Appointed in January 2023, Sam is responsible for offshore wind development projects in Northern Ireland and Ireland for Simply Blue Energy, where she plays a central role in shaping the region’s emerging blue economy and accelerating the transition to renewable energy. She has recently also taken over as Head of Stakeholder Engagement for Simply Blue Energy.

Before joining Simply Blue, Sam served as Director of Sustainability and Climate Resilience at Tetra Tech (Europe), where she led a multidisciplinary team delivering net zero strategies, climate risk assessments, and resilience planning for public and private sector clients. Her work included a 16 month part time secondment to Simply Blue, supporting early stage offshore wind development and strengthening cross organisational collaboration.
Sam previously held the position of Director at the Centre for Advanced Sustainable Energy (CASE), an industry led research centre focused on bridging the gap between academic expertise and industry needs. Under her leadership, CASE enabled companies to access research funding and innovation support across energy systems, bio energy, and marine renewables, helping to build Northern Ireland’s research and innovation capacity in low carbon technologies.

Alongside her professional roles, Sam is deeply engaged in sector leadership. She currently serves as Chair of the Energy Institute – Northern Ireland Branch Committee and Chair of Northern Ireland Maritime & Offshore (NIMO), where she champions skills development, industry collaboration, and strategic growth across the maritime and offshore wind sectors. She has just been appointed to Chair the Renewable NI Offshore Wind committee.

Sam is widely recognised for her strategic insight, her commitment to sustainability, and her ability to connect industry, academia, and government to drive meaningful progress in the energy transition.

Sean McCready

Vice-Chair of NIMO, Managing Director, Doyle Shipping Group Belfast

Sean McCready is an experienced maritime operations professional whose career with Doyle Shipping Group (DSG) has positioned him as a respected figure within Northern Ireland’s port, logistics, and offshore support sectors. Over more than a decade with DSG, Sean has built a reputation for operational excellence, strong stakeholder relationships, and a deep understanding of the commercial and technical demands of modern maritime services.

During his time with Doyle Shipping Group, Sean has overseen a wide portfolio of activities including port operations, stevedoring, project cargo handling, offshore wind logistics, and vessel support services. His hands on leadership style and ability to coordinate complex operations have made him a trusted partner for clients across shipping, energy, and heavy industry. He has played a key role in supporting major infrastructure and offshore energy projects, ensuring safe, efficient, and commercially sound delivery.
Sean’s experience spans workforce management, health and safety leadership, supply chain coordination, and the development of operational processes that strengthen resilience and performance. His work has contributed to DSG’s growth in Northern Ireland and its reputation as a reliable, high capacity service provider for both traditional maritime sectors and emerging offshore markets.

At Northern Ireland Maritime & Offshore, Sean brings this industry grounded expertise to the wider regional ecosystem. He is committed to championing local capability, supporting skills development, and helping Northern Ireland’s maritime and offshore supply chains position themselves for future opportunities in ports, logistics, and clean energy.

Dr Kerry Muldoon

Executive Director of NI Maritime & Offshore

Dr Kerry Muldoon is the Executive Director of NI Maritime & Offshore (NIMO). She has helped shape NIMO’s development as a strategic cluster, working closely with industry, government and international partners to advance opportunities in offshore wind, ports, manufacturing and the wider marine supply chain. Her work is centred on promoting companies and opportunities across the Northern Ireland supply chain with a focus on innovation, sustainability and long-term regional economic growth.

Previous to working for NIMO, Kerry was a Associate Environmental Project Manager where she worked on a number of projects including EIA and sustainability related work across a range of sectors including nuclear, geothermal and peatland restoration. Her academic background is in freshwater ecology, but she now focuses on energy and has over 16 years’ experience across the energy sector, working in environmental consultancy and project development for large scale renewables, as well as working for the transmission System Operator for Northern Ireland (SONI) and in the Energy Strategy team for the NI Department for the Economy.

In addition, Kerry sits as a member of the Northern Ireland Branch Committee for the Energy Institute.

Ben Murray

Chief of Staff and Director of Communications

As Chief of Staff and Director of Communications and External Relations at Navantia UK, Ben leads the company’s strategic communications, government relations and stakeholder engagement, and serves on the executive committee. He joined Harland & Wolff in May 2024, and following Navantia UK’s acquisition in January 2025, has been instrumental in the integration and transformation of the business.

Previously, as Chief Executive of Maritime UK, he served on key industry-government bodies and spearheaded efforts to advance domestic decarbonisation, securing £206m in funding from the 2021 Spending Review. He also led industry’s contribution to the government’s Maritime 2050 strategy. Earlier in his career, Ben worked as a political consultant and held roles in party politics including coordinating a deputy leadership campaign. He has served on the MoD’s Shipbuilding Enterprise for Growth and is a board member of Northern Ireland Maritime & Offshore and the Torridge Place Board. Ben holds a degree in Politics from the University of Warwick and City University of Hong Kong.

David Hill

Head of Business Development, Sea Source Offshore

David Hill has over 40 years of seagoing experience, including more than two decades as a successful fishing skipper. After coming ashore in 2007, he served as Chairman of the National Fishermen’s Federation Organisation for England, Northern Ireland, and Wales, representing a broad range of fishing interests at both Westminster and the European Parliament.

From 2010 to 2012, David worked with The Crown Estate, where he gained valuable insight into the developing offshore marine renewables sector. Drawing on his extensive experience in both the fishing and offshore industries, he went on to establish Sea Source Offshore Ltd, a thriving enterprise owned by a fishermen’s cooperative, which provides essential support services to the offshore energy industry while creating diversification opportunities for coastal communities.

In addition to his role as Offshore Business Development Manager, David has served on Northern Ireland’s Fishing Harbour Boards and is currently a board member of the NI Maritime & Offshore Collaborative Network. He continues to play a key role in strengthening collaboration between traditional fisheries and the offshore renewables sector, promoting sustainable coexistence, innovation, and growth within the marine economy.

Karl Crockard

Managing Director, CASC

As the founder and managing director of CASC Limited, Karl Crockard brings extensive experience in the offshore industry, developed through hands-on involvement in complex projects worldwide. Through its global project portfolio, the team at CASC has supported delivery of over 40 offshore projects in Europe, Asia and USA – working for the world’s largest turbine OEM’s, Tier 1 foundation contractors, developers and vessel operators.

With a strong leadership focus, Karl is committed to building high-performing teams, fostering a culture of safety and accountability, and guiding projects from planning through execution. Known for his practical, solutions-driven approach, Karl combines operational excellence with people-focused leadership to deliver reliable results and long-term value for clients across the globe.

John Patterson

Head of Defence, Artemis Technologies

John is an accomplished defence and maritime specialist with more than twenty‑five years of experience spanning military logistics, operational planning, and advanced maritime technologies. As Head of Defence at Artemis Technologies, he plays a pivotal role in shaping the company’s defence strategy and driving the development of high‑performance, zero‑emission solutions for the next generation of maritime operations.

Throughout his career, John has built a strong reputation for delivering complex projects in demanding environments. His background in defence has equipped him with deep expertise in operational planning, mission‑critical logistics, and the coordination of multidisciplinary teams. These skills now underpin his work at Artemis Technologies, where he leads initiatives that enhance the performance, safety, and sustainability of maritime platforms for defence clients.

John’s professional journey is also defined by his commitment to innovation and inclusion. Drawing on his experience as a scoliosis swimmer, he brings a unique perspective to accessible design and user‑centred development, ensuring that new technologies support a wider range of operational needs and physical abilities. His approach blends technical insight with a strong sense of social responsibility, helping to shape products and services that are not only high‑performing but also equitable and future‑focused.

Passionate about transformational change, John champions collaboration across industry, academia, and government to accelerate the adoption of green maritime technologies. His leadership at Artemis Technologies reflects his long‑standing dedication to advancing the defence and maritime sectors through innovation, sustainability, and purposeful impact.

Naoimh McConville

Group Managing Director, Rathbane Group

Naoimh is Managing Director of The Rathbane Group, which is a second-generation family business encompassing four construction & manufacturing businesses – MJM Marine, Mivan, NTS and Topglass. Naoimh has a finance background but has been in the family business for 13 years, working operationally across the various brands and managing special projects & acquisitions. Since 2021, Naoimh has been responsible for leading the strategic direction of The Rathbane Group; and is committed to leading the business with an emphasis on excellence, innovation, & people to have a truly world class group of brands.

Naoimh is a strong advocate for NI Plc and sits on the Makers’ Alliance advisory panel, is a Board & Council Member of the NI Chamber of Commerce and serves as a Board member of NIMO (NI Maritime & Offshore).

Naoimh was awarded the IoD’s Young Director of the Year in 2019.

Michael Robinson

Port Director, Belfast Harbour

Michael joined Belfast Harbour in 2003 as Commercial Executive before his appointment as Commercial Manager in 2006. As well as helping to manage the port’s extensive customer base of importers and exporters, Michael has extensive commercial experience in developing value add logistics warehouse facilities for port customers and logistics operators.

Prior to joining Belfast Harbour, Michael held a number of commercial and operational roles in Baltimore Technologies, Informix, and Diageo. Michael possesses a BA Hons. degree in Economics and a Masters degree in Computing & Information Systems.

Michael was appointed Port Director in 2018 and holds Chartered Director status.

Building Prosperity Together

Northern Ireland’s maritime and offshore sector is entering one of the most exciting periods in its history.

With world-leading green innovation, major infrastructure investment and new opportunities emerging across every part of the blue economy, the momentum is unmistakable. This is a moment of real possibility for Belfast and for the region as a whole. The sector is pulling together with a renewed sense of purpose, collaboration and ambition, ready to shape a cleaner, more connected and more prosperous future.

Employs over 5,000 people across Northern Ireland’s maritime and offshore sector.

Contributes nearly £4 billion annually to the regional economy

Part of a sector that generated £2.2 billion turnover and supported 5,287 jobs in 2019 (latest available comprehensive data)

Mix of fixed and floating offshore wind presents a realistic opportunity for economic growth in NI of between £5.58 – £6.12 billion and increase employment up to 29,010 person-years over a 60 year period