Maritime UK has launched its Offshore Wind Plan in Grimsby, the world’s leading operations and maintenance cluster.
Described as a comprehensive and ground-breaking document, it draws together renewables and seaborne industries, making a series of recommendations on how both can work together with government to deliver maximum economic benefit from growth.
Covering off ports, shipbuilding, crewing and professional services, it has been welcomed at Cabinet level.
Read more: RWE appoints contractor for multi-million pound new Grimsby Hub
Graham Stuart MP, Minister of State in the new Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, said: “The offshore wind industry is a major UK success story, with the largest operational fleet in Europe, the world's four biggest individual wind farms and the highest ambition of energy produced by 2030.
"I therefore welcome the publication of the Maritime UK offshore wind plan, which highlights the numerous opportunities on offer for the UK's maritime industries at both existing and new offshore wind farms. We can all look forward to working together to deliver the maximum economic benefit for local areas and helping create more well-paid jobs for those people living in and around our coastal communities."
It was revealed at the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult’s Operations & Maintenance Centre of Excellence in Grimsby, supported by Associated British Ports and several industry representatives. Orsted’s East Coast Hub is the base for Hornsea One and Hornsea Two, the world’s largest farms currently generating electricity
Opportunities identified include building vessels in the UK to support developments and further growing UK ports as centres for manufacturing and assembly.
ORE Catapult estimates that 149 service operation vessels will be needed in Europe by 2030, more than doubling by 2050.
The birth of a new partnership between the leading trade bodies in the green and blue economies also identified priority areas for collaboration to ensure the rapid growth in offshore wind is delivering good jobs and economic growth across the UK.
Maritime UK chair Robin Mortimer, said: “The maritime sector already plays a key role in our collective efforts to deliver a cleaner and more sustainable future by the middle of this century.
“Maritime UK’s Offshore Wind Plan sets out how delivering energy security through growing offshore wind can drive economic growth and job creation across the country through the maritime supply chain.
“With its people, expertise, equipment and infrastructure, the maritime sector is present throughout the lifecycle of offshore wind and is uniquely placed to deliver well-paid, high-quality jobs and new industries, particularly in coastal towns and cities.”
Key recommendations and proposals within the plan include:
Creating quality career pathways for young people
Rewarding higher UK supply chain content in offshore wind projects
Reforming the planning system to enable green projects to be delivered quicker
Encouraging lenders and investors to finance infrastructure and vessels
Renewable UK’s director of offshore wind, Jane Cooper, said: “This plan will enable the offshore wind industry to work even more closely with our colleagues in the maritime sector on maximising the massive economic opportunities we’re offering, creating tens of thousands of high-quality jobs and attracting billions in private investment over the course of this decade.
“To reach the Government’s target of 50 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030, the offshore wind and maritime sectors will need to work collaboratively with aligned objectives to transform and rejuvenate ports around the country, enabling us to manufacture and assemble state-of-the-art turbines and other infrastructure at quayside locations. This will create further opportunities for vessels to help us to install vital new projects, including innovative floating turbines further out to sea. There’s a natural synergy between our sectors which we’re keen to enhance as we move forward together.”
Andy Reay, head of offshore wind for Associated British Ports, said: “We are proud to support the launch of Maritime UK’s Offshore Wind Plan. Our ports, such as Grimsby – the world’s largest offshore wind operations and maintenance port – demonstrate how offshore wind can catalyse investment and high quality job growth, an impact that should be hugely boosted by the new generations of floating offshore wind. Delivering the Offshore Wind Plan’s recommendations and a partnership approach both between supply chain players and industry and governments will be key to achieving the environmental and economic opportunities for the UK.”
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