ABP completes construction of Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility
Published by Jessica Casey,
Editor
Energy Global,
Associated British Ports (ABP), the UK’s leading ports group, has announced the completion of its Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility (LEEF). The £35 million infrastructure project, supported by the Town’s Fund, has officially been handed over by contractors McLaughlin & Harvey, marking a new era for Lowestoft – the UK’s most easterly port – and its role in the Southern North Sea (SNS) energy sector.
Purpose-built to meet the growing demands of the offshore energy industry, LEEF supports operations and maintenance (O&M) activities and construction phase requirements. This state-of-the-art infrastructure strengthens Lowestoft’s position as a key hub for offshore wind and energy markets, while creating significant opportunities for regional growth and sustainability.
Julian Walker, Chief Commercial Officer and Regional Director, Wales and Short Sea Ports, said: “LEEF is a pivotal development for Lowestoft and will help us to meet the growing demands of the offshore energy industry. Its completion marks a major milestone in the port’s evolution as a hub for supporting this vital industry and in ABP’s goal of enabling the energy transition.
“LEEF will build on the vital role the Port of Lowestoft is already playing in offshore wind, as the base port for SSE’s Greater Gabbard and SPR’s EA ONE wind farms. Its adaptable infrastructure will also ensure ABP’s readiness to support future projects such as Sizewell C and other emerging industries.
“We look forward to continuing to develop for the future in the region through supporting both existing and new projects with world-class facilities.”
Key features of LEEF include:
- 345 m of quayside with three deep-water berths (7.5 m draft), with capacity to accommodate service operation vessels (SOVs) for uninterrupted operations at all tides.
- Up to eight acres of operational and storage space, adaptable for covered and open storage, marshalling, and equipment laydown for O&M and future construction phases.
- Six crew transfer vessels (CTV) berths, each equipped with utilities including water and power, with the infrastructure to add comms and bunkering.
- Future-proofed infrastructure to support alternative fuels and shore power, aligning with ABP’s commitment to sustainable operations.
Adrian Pollock, Operations Director, Civil Engineering from McLaughlin & Harvey, added: "We are proud to have delivered this comprehensive port infrastructure upgrade project. Our civil engineering expertise in marine works and collaboration with ABP allowed us to design and deliver a new facility that will help ABP achieve their ambition of offering three berths and heavy lift capabilities for the growing offshore wind and energy sectors at Lowestoft.”
For more news and technical articles from the global renewable industry, read the latest issue of Energy Global magazine.
Energy Global's Autumn 2024 issue
Dive into the latest renewable energy insights in the Autumn issue of Energy Global, out now! The issue starts with an insightful guest comment from Cristiano Spillati, Managing Director at Limes Renewable Energy where he discusses the need for European renewable energy suppliers to accelerate the rate of the energy transition. This is followed by a regional report from Cornwall Insights on the battery energy storage industry in Australia. This issue explores key topics including offshore wind subsea cables, offshore wind support vessels, digitalisation, wind turbine components, and more!
Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/wind/02122024/abp-completes-construction-of-lowestoft-eastern-energy-facility/
You might also like
Octopus Energy unlocks French green power for 150 000 homes
Octopus Energy’s generation arm is powering ahead with its green energy push in France, striking four deals in solar and wind energy to power 150 000 homes.