ABP plans to invest around GBP 500 million (approximately EUR 573 million) to upgrade a site in Port Talbot and turn it into a major floating offshore wind hub.
The investment is part of a sustainability strategy ABP launched in February, which sets out the port operator’s plans to achieve net zero from its own operations by 2040. The ‘Ready for Tomorrow’ strategy is backed by a GBP 2 billion (approx. EUR 2.3 billion) investment in decarbonising ABP’s own operations and enabling large-scale green energy infrastructure projects such as developing Port Talbot.
In October, ABP said it was exploring the option of constructing heavy lift quays to link the onshore storage land to the marine environment and create a gigawatt-scale floating wind hub port.
The new and repurposed infrastructure in Port Talbot will enable the port to host manufacturing, installation, and supply chain activity for the floating offshore wind sector. This has the potential to create 16,000 new, high-quality jobs and attract GBP 5.5 billion (approx. EUR 6.3 billion) inward investment in the wider regional economy, ABP says.
According to the port operator, Port Talbot is able to offer a holistic package to the floating wind sector, combining natural physical features, the space to develop the right infrastructure and access to skilled labour.
Last month, ABP announced that it would investigate an area on the Cromarty Firth in Scotland for the development of infrastructure to support offshore wind manufacturing, assembly, marshalling and green energy.
ABP said that it would be applying the experience from the Port Talbot development, as well as the UK ports which already host significant offshore wind activity, as it assesses options for Nigg.