A Welsh freeport focused on green energy would create thousands of new jobs and generate billions of new investment, claims the backers behind the Celtic Freeport.
Unveiling their formal bid, members behind the Celtic Freeport have said a freeport status in south west Wales focused on renewable energy would deliver an accelerated pathway for Wales' net zero economy, create over 16,000 new jobs and generate up to £5.5 billion of new investment.
The consortium intends to submit its formal bid to UK and Welsh government officials for assessment tomorrow. The successful bid will be announced in the first quarter of 2023.
Read more: Port of Holyhead will submit formal bid for freeport status
The Celtic Freeport is a new project whose partners are Associated British Ports (ABP), Neath Port Talbot Council, Pembrokeshire County Council and the Port of Milford Haven.
The transformational bid covers the ports of Milford Haven and Port Talbot and spans clean energy developments and innovation assets, fuel terminals, a power station, heavy engineering and the steel industry, which includes Tata Steel, across south west Wales.
The Celtic Freeport would also accelerate inward investment in new manufacturing facilities to support the roll-out of floating offshore wind (FLOW) from the Celtic Sea, as well as the development of hydrogen economy, sustainable fuels, carbon capture, cleaner steel and low-carbon logistics.
Milford Haven is the region’s primary freight gateway to Ireland and the Americas. While, Port Talbot benefits from deep-water, heavy lift capability and significant storage capacity, situated alongside Tata Steel’s integrated iron and steel works.
The bid also proposes an ambitious skills agenda that will harness the skills-base, industrial assets and education providers through dedicated green skills programmes.
The team unveiled their formal bid at a launch event this morning, outlining their vision to create a green investment corridor with long-term commitments on major port infrastructure upgrades, skills development and innovation, all rooted in the fair work principles and enduring trade union engagement.
Chair of the Celtic Freeport bid consortium Roger Maggs MBE said: "Celtic Freeport will mobilise significant international investment into the greener industries of tomorrow. Wales cannot decarbonise, unless south west Wales finds a path to net zero. Our vision will see two new green energy ports at Port Talbot and Milford Haven build out to help create masses of green power from floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea. This acceleration of the green economy will create thousands of high quality jobs, while turbo-charging cleaner steel production and hydrogen generation."
Andrew Harston, director Wales and short-sea ports of ABP, said: "We are excited to be partnering with Neath Port Talbot Council, Pembrokeshire County Council and the Port of Milford Haven on this bid, which will be transformational for the Welsh economy. It will also be vital in the push towards net-zero, with significant investments in clean energy assets, including floating offshore wind (FLOW). Port Talbot is the ideal location for the deployment of FLOW, and ABP is ready to invest over £500m in new and upgraded infrastructure to enable this ."
ABP neighbour in Port Talbot, Tata Steel, is seeking £1.5bn from the UK Government to support its efforts to decarbonise the steelworks, half of its £3bn green investment strategy.
Tata's primary steelmaking plant in Port Talbot employs around 4,000 with 8,000 in total in the UK with its downstream businesses, which include those at Shotton and Trostre.
As part of the green investment strategy, Tata intends to convert its Port Talbot operation from fossil-fuel powered blast furnaces to electricity-powered arc furnaces. This would effectively see an end to primary steelmaking from raw materials and steel being made from recycling steel, which would significantly reduced emissions although the electricity demand would be enormous. It would also look at investment in carbon capture and storage technology.
Speaking on the opportunities for Tata Steel in the Celtic Freeport, Mr Harston said: "Winning that freeport bid and being co-located with Tata from the viewpoint of manufacturing future offshore wind units - we think there is a real opportunity for Tata and FLOW industry to work together but at the end of the day Tata will have to decarbonise and while there’s ambitions for them to be the first green steel producer in Europe that is a real plus point if they are working alongside us.
“The opportunities for the manufacturing industries in Port Talbot - which has the most people in manufacturing out of the whole of Wales - this provides an incredible opportunity for those people to transition because this industry will be getting into its full swing around 2030 and if Tata’s plans come to fruition they may be similar timeframes but the other great thing is if we’re successful with this bid we have time to plan and to have those discussions properly and to work together with our industrial partners.”
He added: “If we can find a way to use Port Talbot produced steel in these structures going forward then it reduces transport carbon, it reduces transport miles, literally those materials can be made in Port Talbot formed and shaped into the right sort of steel for FLOW industry and literally moved across onto the production line. Tremendous opportunities.”
Chief executive of Neath Port Talbot Council Karen Jones said: "We are very pleased to be working in partnership on a bid that has huge potential to transform the economy of Port Talbot and the wider regional and national economy. Energy has played an enormous role here historically. Harnessing the potential of green energy through our existing assets to create a sustainable and low carbon future is a prospect that has our full support."
Pembrokeshire County Council chief executive Will Bramble CBE said: "The Celtic Freeport’s green investment and innovation corridor will act as a clear signal to the international investment community that south-west Wales is open for business and will remain a central pillar in the country's green energy future. Our plans will create a more secure national energy supply and help diversify the region’s industrial base as Wales accelerates its transition to a decarbonised economy, with many fresh opportunities for future generations."
Tom Sawyer, chief executive of Port of Milford Haven, said: "The details of our collective bid stir up many emotions for me. It makes me feel incredibly excited about the wealth generation opportunities the freeport will deliver for regional businesses, alongside the well-paid career choices for future generations. I am really optimistic about the life-changing impact this level of economic regeneration can have on local families and communities, and proud that our collaborative approach will accelerate Wales towards a bright, sustainable future."
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