Blyth spirit - town grows reputation as energy hub
Essex based Global Marine Group has made the new ‘energy hub’ at Port of Blyth its Northern England base, focusing on the offshore renewables and communications sectors. Global Marine has around 850 staff and specialises in offshore engineering.
Blyth’s growing reputation as a service centre for the offshore renewable sector is one of the reasons referenced by Global Marine for choosing the site. It will base its CWind division which services the offshore wind sector, and its fibre optic division which services multiple sectors, at Blyth.
Blyth energy hub
Port of Blyth and development business Arch are pushing forward with their plan to develop the former Blyth power station 200 hectare site as an energy hub under the label ‘Energy Central’. They have recently attended the SPE Offshore Europe conference at Aberdeen to showcase the development. The site has Enterprise Zone status with the opportunity of tax breaks for businesses that move there.
Martin Lawlor, chief executive at the Port of Blyth, said: “The Port of Blyth has a great deal of expertise and a consistent track record in supporting the delivery of large scale projects across the energy sector.
An ideal location
Martin added: “Energy Central offers an ideal location for companies looking for access to markets including offshore wind projects, the decommissioning of oil and gas assets in the Northern, Central and Southern North Sea sectors and fabrication, mobilisation and demobilisation for new and existing oil and gas fields in the United Kingdom Continental Shelf.”
Energy expert analysis
It is encouraging to see the continuing activity across the renewable sector for businesses in the North East. A key driver is obviously offshore wind and the innovative engineering development needed to bring forward these major infrastructure projects cost efficiently, particularly given the strike price bids seen for the latest contracts for difference round.
Alastair Fells MEI, Incorporated Eng, PG Dip Fuel Tech, BSc Hons
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