Port of Blyth Nears Completion of Offshore Wind Upgrades

Port of Blyth in the UK is close to completing a £3m redevelopment project at its Bates Terminal, which includes the reconstruction and strengthening of one of the terminal’s quays.

A kilometre of new road has also been installed to improve access to an area of the terminal that is being redeveloped in relation to upgrading the port’s capability to support offshore energy.

Bates Terminal is also home to the Port’s £1m wind turbine training facility.
Elsewhere on the estuary Advance Northumberland is developing the £32m Northumberland Energy Park which includes the creation of a new deep water dock and is preparing nearly 200 hectares of quayside-linked area for the offshore wind sector.

Phase one will be available from spring 2021.

Port of Blyth and its partner Advance Northumberland will address these developments, ahead of their completion in early 2021, at the upcoming Global Offshore Wind 2020 conference.

Port of Blyth chief executive Martin Lawlor said: “These major developments represent the next stage of growth for the offshore energy and renewables sector in Blyth.

“They offer the industry’s manufacturers and operators a huge opportunity to make the most of large scale, quayside located development opportunities close to both the huge supply chain here and the adjacent Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, in a region known for its engineering innovation.”

Advance Northumberland managing director Ken Dunbar added: “The significant investment being made into Blyth Estuary provides a clear statement of intent to the offshore wind market that we have the marine infrastructure alongside nearly 200HA development sites, world class R&D assets and an established supply chain cluster to create a large scale integrated manufacturing portside hub for the delivery of offshore wind projects.”