Bath-based marine survey group GEMS has gone into administration following the loss of major contracts. Some 132 staff across the group, which also has bases in Devizes, Gravesend and Middlesbrough, have been made redundant.
Zelf Hussain, Rob Hunt and Rob Lewis of accountants PwC were appointed joint administrators last week. They have 
kept on 12 employees to assist with the collection of money owed to the group, which included the businesses Geotechnical Engineering and Marine Surveys Limited (GUK) and Gems Survey Limited (GSL).
Mr Hussain said: “Our immediate priority now is to repatriate employees that are overseas and then to find homes for the remaining contracts. We encourage any interested parties to contact us as a matter of urgency."”
The group carried put international geotechnical engineering and marine survey work, primarily offshore. Its specialist expertise was in planning and executing offshore geotechnical site investigations, marine geophysics, hydrography, metocean and environmental studies. It had a turnover of €39m.
