'Building back greener' - Energy Minister gives thumbs up to plans at Port of Tyne

(l-r) Tom Nightingale, North East Stakeholder Manager, Equinor; Matt Beeton, CEO, Port of Tyne; Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Minister of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP, Minister of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, visited the Port of Tyne on Thursday, July 29, for a tour of several sites earmarked for green energy development.

She also discussed progress on the port’s award-winning clean energy roadmap, part of its ambitious ‘Tyne 2050’ strategy.

Tyne Clean Energy Park offers a high degree of flexibility for the offshore wind supply chain.

The biggest offshore wind farm in the world, Dogger Bank, will be operated from a new facility at the Port of Tyne

During her visit, the Minister was able to see preparations underway for its first tenant, Equinor, which is building the operations and maintenance base for the world’s largest offshore windfarm at Dogger Bank, a joint venture with SSE Renewables and Eni.

Plans have now been approved for the project, which is expected to create around 200 jobs in the North East.

Mrs Trevelyan said: “Our world-leading offshore wind sector is delivering huge potential for the UK to grow our manufacturing base and I’m delighted to see first-hand how the North East is grasping the opportunities that are being presented.

“This region has a rich industrial heritage and the Port of Tyne is tapping into that wealth of history and experience.

"They are revitalising one of our key industrial heartlands by creating and safeguarding skilled jobs as we level up and build back greener from the pandemic.”

The Minister also met Port of Tyne chief executive Matt Beeton and chairwoman Lucy Armstrong to discuss the huge commercial opportunity presented by the offshore wind sector to level up the region and support national economic growth.

As part of its Tyne 2050 strategy, the port also committed to being carbon neutral by 2030, and bosses say two years on its carbon emissions have already been cut by some 27%.

Mr Beeton said: “We were delighted to welcome the Minister to the Port and give her the opportunity to view all the developments where we’re re-deploying land and resources for the clean energy sector. As one of only two deep sea ports in the region, we understand the critical role we play in the country’s renewables strategy.

“We’re already at the centre of this transition as we transform the Port to become the UK’s most versatile location for the renewables sector.”

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