Redevelopment works at Pembroke Port pave the way for a low carbon future
An extended slipway has been constructed at Pembroke Port as part of the Pembroke Dock Marine project, ideal for accommodating launches of vessels and devices and supporting the renewables industry.
(Press release Port of Milford Haven:) 8 August 2023 - Significant progress is being made to create a multi-purpose and future energy-ready port in Pembrokeshire that will create a bright and prosperous outlook for current and future generations.
Physical works on the Swansea Bay City Deal and EU funded Pembroke Dock Marine project began in earnest last August after a breaking ground ceremony marked the start of the construction of a supersize slipway and new workboat pontoons at Pembroke Port.
Since then the landscape of the site has changed dramatically. The slipway is being significantly widened to 68 metres and extended to offer greater flexibility for developers and marine businesses looking to test new marine energy devices, launch and recover vessels, and supply chain companies providing maintenance and engineering services to floating offshore wind device operators in the Celtic Sea. Once complete in Spring 2024, the wider slipway will measure 11,352 sqm which is the equivalent of one and half football pitches. Materials from the works to enlarge the slipway are being recycled and used to create much-needed laydown space by infilling the timber pond.
New workboat pontoons are being installed to the east of the existing ferry terminal offering short and long term berthing options for workboats, barges and jack up barges, positioned neatly between Quay 1 and the new slipway. These are already proving popular and will be available to utilise from Autumn 2023.
At Gate 1, the four new annexes attached to the historic Sunderland Hangars are nearing completion. These will offer modern offices and workshops ideally situated for companies in the renewables and marine sectors looking for a new base within a busy commercial port. Brand new office space and workshops allow for a flexible working solution ideal for developers and supply chain businesses. The four hangar annexes are in the final stages of completion and will be ready for occupation this summer. Renamed Oleander House, Catalina House, Falcon House & Erebus House they offer a range of one and two storey office space and workshop areas, with two contracts currently under negotiation.
Commercial Director at the Port of Milford Haven, Steve Edwards, is pleased with the progress being made at Pembroke Port. He said: ‘These works will make a huge difference to the facilities and services that we can offer to the marine sector but also the growing renewables industry that is being attracted here due to the exciting opportunities for floating offshore wind projects in the Celtic Sea. The team at the Port and contractors BAM Nuttall, the Walters Group and R&M Williams are keeping the project on track and I am confident we will attract some iconic and innovative companies that want to base themselves at Pembroke Port.’
Councillor Rob Stewart, Chairman of the Swansea Bay City Deal’s Joint Committee, said: ‘The City Deal is making significant progress through the Pembroke Dock Marine project by growing the economy and creating employment opportunities with a particular focus on the energy sector and renewable technologies. The work that R&M Williams and BAM Nuttall are completing in the Hangar Annexes, pontoons and slipway will regenerate Pembroke Port as well as support the blue-green energy economy, which is fundamental for the future of South West Wales. Coupled with the recent success of the Celtic Freeport bid, it strengthens our ambitions to create a prosperous region for businesses to thrive and residents to access well-paid jobs, both now and in the future.’
Pembroke Dock Marine is funded by the UK Government and Welsh Government through the Swansea Bay City Deal, and through the public and private sectors. It is also part funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government.
See the progress being made so far online at:
About Port of Milford Haven
The Port of Milford Haven is the UK’s top energy port and Wales’ busiest port handling around 20% of Britain’s seaborne trade in oil and gas. It is widely recognised in the industry as the energy capital of the UK.
The Port, along with the cluster of energy-related businesses along the Waterway, is a key driver of economic activity in Pembrokeshire, attracting inward investment and supporting over 4,000 jobs.
The Port of Milford Haven also owns and operates Pembroke Port and Milford Waterfront. Activities such as cargo handling, ferry operations, fish landing and cruise calls as well as a first class marina are spread across these two sites.
One of the most prominent on the West Coast, the Port is in the heart of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, the only Coastal National Park in Great Britain. It is marked as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and has many areas designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
The Port of Milford Haven is a trust port – an independent, commercially run organisation that has statutory responsibilities governed by its Acts, to maintain and improve navigation and the provision of Port and Harbour services and facilities.
Additionally, the Port provides significant financial and in-kind support to a wide variety of local causes. All profits are retained within the business to fund these objectives.
For further information, visit www.mhpa.co.uk.
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