A £60m transformation of a Pembrokeshire dockyard could see 1,800 jobs created. The Pembroke Port was officially reopened on 21st August as a “world-class centre” for wind, wave and tidal power projects.
1,800 new jobs
It is proposed the £60m project will help turn the site into a renewables port by creating a hub for marine energy development as well as being attractive to other maritime industries. It is hoped the changes – including a new “supersized slipway” – will attract renewable energy firms and create up to 1,800 new jobs, reports the BBC. In addition to the slipway, there will be areas where companies can build and store devices and components, and developers have also created new workboat pontoons, office and workshop facilities
Backed by UK and Welsh government funding, as well as private investment, it is part of the wider Swansea Bay City Deal.
Credit: port of Milford Haven, via BBC
Advancing the marine energy sector “far outweigh” concerns
The proposals faced opposition from local and national heritage organisations, who warned of the potential of a “catastrophic” impact on the port’s historic buildings and infrastructure but Pembrokeshire council, and ultimately the Welsh Government, decided the economic benefits from advancing the marine energy sector “far outweigh” concerns. The development has delivered new, world-leading port infrastructure in Pembroke Dock alongside Wales’ Marine Energy Test Area (META) and a Marine Energy Engineering Centre of Excellence whilst advancing the potential of the Pembrokeshire Demonstration Zone – all with the aim of driving forward innovation and creating new opportunities for industrial growth. It has proven to be a pivotal collaborative programme and a beacon of success for the Swansea Bay City Region attracting the attention of global renewable energy investors and developers and providing a strategic platform for the Milford Haven Energy Cluster ambition and, more recently, the successful Celtic Freeport bid.
The proposed work was outlined to complement existing local initiatives, such as the Marine Energy Test Area (META) and the Pembrokeshire Demonstration Zone (PDZ), which provide firms with the opportunity to trial new technologies at sea. Planning permission for the project was granted in 2021, including the construction of the “supersized” slipway into the estuary, despite opposition from heritage organisations concerned about the impact on the port’s historic buildings and infrastructure. Ultimately, Pembrokeshire Council and the Welsh Government determined that the economic benefits of advancing the marine energy sector “far outweigh” those concerns.
Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens highlighted the significance of this investment said “For the UK to become a clean energy superpower, we need modernised ports just like this in Pembroke Dock, which will be the backbone of the energy hubs of the future.
“The UK Government is proud to invest in this project. Wales is at the forefront of our ambitions for GB Energy and facilities like Pembroke Dock Marine will contribute to our net zero goals, bringing down energy bills and creating skilled jobs for the people of Pembrokeshire.”
As reported previously, the Crown Estate has advanced to a key phase in its Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5, aiming to develop floating wind farms in the Celtic Sea, off South Wales and South West England. This initiative, first unveiled in December 2023, could generate up to 4.5 gigawatts of renewable energy, sufficient to power over 4 million homes, while also creating thousands of jobs and stimulating significant investment in the supply chain.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: “Today, Pembrokeshire’s long heritage of maritime excellence is leading the way for the future of the UK with the launch of this Pembroke Dock Marine programme.
“This is a major step towards us becoming a world leader in zero-carbon marine engineering and tackling climate change for a cleaner, greener, more ambitious future for us all.
“And a future where we see our bold ambitions on growth and jobs for and with every part of the UK go hand in hand with our ambitions on Net Zero and sustainable energy.”
Read the press release from Port of Milford Haven here.