Workers and businesses in South Tyneside are to benefit from the renewable energy boom with a new base at the Port of Tyne being opened for the vast Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm.
Danish company Ørsted has signed a lease agreement for up to 100,000 square metres at the port so that it can develop what is expected to be the world’s single largest offshore wind farm.
The site, located at Tyne Clean Energy Park in South Shields, will be crucial to the construction and completion of the 2.9 GW Hornsea 3 Offshore Wind Farm, being developed by Ørsted, a global leader in offshore wind energy.
The site will be used to marshal secondary steel components for the project before each unit is loaded onto the Wind Orca, a state-of-the-art jack-up vessel, and dispatched to the Hornsea 3 site in the North Sea.
Port of Tyne’s Matt Beeton, Orsted’s Jason Leddon, Port of Tyne’s Craig Morton and Mayor Kim McGuinness at Tyne Clean Energy Park
Located 160 kilometres off the Yorkshire coast, Hornsea 3 is an £8.5 billion infrastructure project set to generate enough green energy to power more than three million UK homes – more than the total number of homes in Scotland.
It will enhance energy security and drive local and national economic growth through supply chain investments.
Matt Beeton, chief executive officer at the Port of Tyne, said: “Ørsted’s decision to base its marshalling operations at the Port of Tyne marks another significant milestone for the North East.
“It represents a clear vote of confidence in the infrastructure, skills and capabilities we have developed at the Tyne Clean Energy Park.
“This partnership is not only about delivering clean energy – it is about securing international investment, driving economic growth and creating the highly skilled jobs that will sustain our communities for generations, anchored by our best-in-class offshore wind base.”
Jason Ledden, senior project director of Hornsea 3 at Ørsted, said: “The construction of Hornsea 3 will greatly improve energy security for the UK, as well as bringing investment into the local and national economy.
“This means home-grown clean power, skilled jobs and economic growth.
“Ørsted’s vision is to create a world that runs entirely on green energy and the dedication of skilled workers all over the UK, including at the Port of Tyne, will help make that happen.”
Kim McGuinness, North East Mayor, was delighted with the announcement.
She said: “We are making the North East the home of the green energy revolution, and investments like this from Ørsted are a major vote of confidence in the people of the North East, their skills and commitment.”
As well as partnering with the Port of Tyne for its efficient marine access to Hornsea 3, 13-metre deep berths and 24/7 365-day operation during all tide states, Ørsted is working alongside industry-leading partners to deliver the 197 offshore wind turbines needed for the project.
Severfield, a steel contractor based in Yorkshire, and Smulders, a construction firm located on the River Tyne, will fabricate and supply secondary steel components.
- Wind power now supports more than 30,000 jobs and is currently estimated to add more than £3.5 billion to the UK’s GDP with figures set to rise dramatically in the next few years as more and more offshore wind farms come online.
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