Chinese in Line for £300 Mln UK Tidal Lagoon Contract

Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay Plc (TLSB) has named China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd as its preferred bidder for a marine works package that will include the construction of the six mile lagoon wall in Swansea Bay.

As well as committing to approximately 50% UK content for the delivery of the package, CHEC has established a UK subsidiary company and has set out its vision to pursue a UK infrastructure investment programme over the next decade. CHEC’s investment strategy will include a focus on further tidal lagoon infrastructure projects in the UK.

Further to the work programme on the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon, CHEC will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Tidal Lagoon Power Ltd, the project’s developers, for the development of tidal lagoons in Asia, potentially opening a major new export channel for British expertise and technology.

Mr LIN Yi Chong, President & CEO at China Harbour Engineering Company, said: “CHEC has taken the strategic decision to enter the UK infrastructure investment and construction market, and we see the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon, a pioneering scheme that could bring the world a new energy option, as the cornerstone project in our business development strategy in the UK and wider Europe.”

Mark Shorrock, chief executive of Tidal Lagoon Power, commented: “I have worked in China, speak Chinese and have huge esteem for China’s delivery capability and ability to deliver projects to time and budget. Having encouraged CHEC to bid this job and invest in Western European infrastructure projects by creating a British base, I was delighted, following an intensive competition, when my engineering colleagues recommended CHEC for our seminal Swansea Bay project.

“Beginning in Swansea Bay, we aim to foster a new economic opportunity for collaboration in civil engineering between our two companies and nations. Given the lead by our respective governments, we are aiming to take on the greening of our energy economy in European an Asian locations that have eight or more metres of tidal range and are interested in low impact, secure and local sources of energy.”

Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay Plc will through the summer run further tenders for the construction of a Turbine Assembly Plant in Wales, and for the lagoon’s public realm and buildings work.