Port group completes work on £35m energy hub site

Andrew Harston and Paul Ager, both from Associated British Ports, officially opened the new offshore energy hub in Lowestoft

Associated British Ports has announced the completion of its new £35m offshore energy hub at the UK’s most easterly port.

The Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility (LEEF) in Suffolk has been purpose-built to support both operations and maintenance activities and the construction of new offshore wind turbines in the North Sea.

ABP has called the fruition of the project, which has received support from the Town’s Fund, "a major milestone in Lowestoft’s energy transition journey".

It said the new site had now been officially handed over by contractors McLaughlin and Harvey, and marked "a new era for Lowestoft and its role in the southern North Sea energy sector".

The new Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility became fully operational this month and will support both operations and maintenance activities

In October, Lowestoft welcomed the first vessel to the LEEF, which features 345m (1,131ft) of quayside equipped with three 7.5m (24ft) draft deep-water berths with direct supplies of fuel, water and power.

It also has the capacity to accommodate Service Operation Vessels for uninterrupted operations at all tides, together with up to eight acres of storage space and six crew transfer vessels berths.

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 we look forward to continuing to develop for the future in the region through supporting both existing and new projects with world-class facilities."

Adrian Pollock, operations director, civil engineering, from McLaughlin & Harvey, said: "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."