Gofor, the fleet management specialist, has demonstrated its fleet management expertise with the deployment of low emission vans for engineering firm Ocean Kinetics, supporting operations across the remote locations of Shetland, Orkney and Aberdeen.
Gofor and Ocean Kinetics have worked together over a four year period, with Gofor providing a fully managed fleet solution. This latest deployment comprises more than 30 vans and represents an important step in Ocean Kinetics’ sustainability journey.
Reflecting the realities of operating in remote environments, the new fleet includes a carefully selected mix of plug-In hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, where operationally required.
John Henderson, Managing Director for Ocean Kinetics commented:
‘As a responsible business, we’re committed to building a sustainable future by looking after the environment, maximising resources and minimising waste. Transitioning to a lower emission fleet is a key part of that commitment. Gofor has worked closely with us to deliver a fleet solution that reduces our carbon footprint while remaining operationally viable for the remote environments in which we operate.’
As part of its biannual fleet review process, Gofor supported Ocean Kinetics in selecting vehicles suited to the remote geography. Chosen for their reliability and local maintainability, the new van fleet is predominantly made up of Ford Transit Custom and Ford Transit Connect models. Ocean Kinetics has also introduced five fully electric company cars, including Polestar 2 and BMW i5 models, further supporting its decarbonisation strategy.
With public charging infrastructure still limited across some island locations, Ocean Kinetics has also invested in workplace charging to support the transition to the lower-emission fleet.
Robert Lea, Sales and Marketing Director at Gofor, who joined the business in March, commented on the rollout:
‘We focus on building true partnerships with our customers. Our Senior Account Manager Kashif Hussain, holds regular updates with the Ocean Kinetics team, including time onsite, to appreciate their challenges first-hand. That proactive approach ensures we have a true understanding of their complex operational requirements and has enabled us to design and implement a fleet strategy that works in practice – whether that’s coordinating seamless vehicle deliveries to the islands or long-term decarbonisation planning.’
Ocean Kinetics’ adoption of lower-emission vans demonstrates a forward-thinking approach at a time when wider market adoption is behind target. Recent data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders showed that electric light commercial vehicle (eLCV) uptake declined by 15.9% in March, leaving the sector off track against the UK Government’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate which requires 24% of 2026 new van sales to be zero-emission.
Pictured: L-R Kate Niesciur Administration Assistant for Ocean Kinetics with Kashif Hussain Senior Account Manager, Gofor