A deal that sees Grimsby Seafood Village come under the control of Associated British Ports (ABP) is said to provide security for the key processing site.

The port operator’s acquisition of the 70,000 sqft, 21-unit site has been welcomed by its creators Pete Dalton and Gary Cadey. ABP has purchased the long leasehold of 125 years, which it had previously granted to the owners of the Humber site, which is home to fish processing businesses.

The village is said to be a key part of the Humber seafood cluster, which employs about 6,000 people directly and supports a wider supply chain of more than 10,000. Around 70% of the UK’s seafood is processed in Grimsby, with ABP saying its acquisition safeguards food security.

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LS Eco Advanced Cables Ltd. (LSEAC) has launched a five-week public consultation on their proposals to develop a high voltage cable production facility at the Port of Tyne, for under-sea electricity transmission – designed to transport clean energy generated by offshore wind onto UK shores.

While plans are at an early stage and still being finalised, total investment is expected to be approximately £923 million, which would put the North East at the heart of the UK’s clean energy transition.

The consultation runs from 14th May to 18th June and provides an opportunity for local communities, businesses and organisations to give their feedback on the proposed development before the final planning application is made to South Tyneside Council later this year.

The facility would lead to 500 direct jobs and a thousand more across the wider supply chain, including in high-skilled roles in engineering. Along with the The North East Combined Authority and the Port of Tyne, LSEAC will work with the region’s schools, colleges and universities to provide training and re-training in the skills needed at the facility, ensuring generations of North East people benefit from the huge employment opportunities.

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Scotland’s Transport Secretary has confirmed that the government is in negotiations with Peel Ports Group to acquire Ardrossan Harbour.

Finance has been made available in the Scottish budget and Fiona Hyslop updated MSPs in Parliament.

“I have instructed Transport Scotland and CMAL to progress discussions about the potential purchase of Ardrossan Harbour by The Scottish Government,” she said.

The harbour faces an uncertain future because two new ferries that will operate CalMac Ferries Limited’s Arran route are too big to fit. MV Glen Sannox, which enters service this week, is sailing from Troon.

Ardrossan will then be left with no scheduled CalMac sailings until the old Arran vessel, MV Caledonian Isles, returns from repairs in March.

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Galileo, a leading European renewable energy development company, developing the PortWind project has announced it has signed a non-exclusive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Portland Port, an established commercial port on the South Coast of England, to work together with the common goal of maximising opportunities for offshore wind development off the Dorset coast with associated enhanced port infrastructure, supply chain and community benefits onshore.

Portland Port has a history of servicing the offshore wind sector and is in discussions with potential partners to enable and support the future construction and operation of offshore wind developments in the English Channel. With significant deep-water berths and quayside space, Portland Port has the capacity and capability to host construction and operational headquarters, as well as support accommodation and transport solutions.

Offshore wind and port infrastructure are key components of Dorset’s Clean Energy Super Cluster, which seeks to drive economic transformation to power the future and open up new opportunities for training and employment for local communities. The cluster is a proactive response to align and deliver the Government’s Industrial Strategy to boost economic growth, stimulate UK supply chain development, improve energy security and resilience in the UK.

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A public inquiry has begun into proposed changes to how the Port of London Authority manages the Thames, which could impact 17 boroughs and anyone whose home backs onto the river. The Port of London Authority (PLA) intends to make a series of changes to the Port of London Act 1968 – a law which allows it to regulate the Port of London.

The PLA submitted a Harbour Revision Order (HRO) as far back as 2020 but stakeholders, including residents whose homes back onto the River Thames, have labelled the move a ‘power grab’ and are asking the inquiry to reject or amend the request. In addition, it is claimed some fees for things like building balconies that overlook the Thames have risen by around £10,000 per property in the space of a decade, with the PLA labelled a ‘racket’ during the first day of the inquiry on Tuesday (February 25).

Among the changes proposed are:

-Ending the practice of providing yearly reports to Parliament
-Removing personal liability for its board members
-Removing borrowing limits
-‘Disapplying’ provisions of landlord and tenant law to ensure that the PLA can terminate a lease ‘where it is necessary to do so in the interests of the safe navigation of the Thames and the protection of public rights of navigation’
-Altering its charging regime

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Associated British Ports are hosting a Procurement Day to connect with businesses that can support their upcoming infrastructure and construction works across the Humber region.

Aimed at companies who need to be aware of upcoming infrastructure projects, the day will be split into a morning and afternoon session. Each session will begin with an overview of the 2025 infrastructure pipeline and follow with an opportunity to talk to members of the ABP in one to one discussions. ABP are keen to hold two way conversations with suppliers covering market expectations, project success including progamme value, sustainability and social value.

There are nine projects coming up ranging from warehouses, to paving, electrification, quay strengthening and mechanical handling, etc across the next two years with an overall spend of around £150 million.

One of the projects is around the first phase of developing the strategic land at Stallingborough, between the Ports of Grimsby and Immingham. The largest port operator in the UK completed the purchase of the freehold of the 227.5-acre site in December 2023 signalling a commitment to its new property strategy.

To register for the event head to their Eventbrite page

Galileo, a leading European renewable energy development company, developing the PortWind project has announced it has signed a non-exclusive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Portland Port, an established commercial port on the South Coast of England, to work together with the common goal of maximising opportunities for offshore wind development off the Dorset coast with associated enhanced port infrastructure, supply chain and community benefits onshore.

Portland Port has a history of servicing the offshore wind sector and is in discussions with potential partners to enable and support the future construction and operation of offshore wind developments in the English Channel. With significant deep-water berths and quayside space, Portland Port has the capacity and capability to host construction and operational headquarters, as well as support accommodation and transport solutions.

Offshore wind and port infrastructure are key components of Dorset’s Clean Energy Super Cluster, which seeks to drive economic transformation to power the future and open up new opportunities for training and employment for local communities. The cluster is a proactive response to align and deliver the Government’s Industrial Strategy to boost economic growth, stimulate UK supply chain development, improve energy security and resilience in the UK.

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ScottishPower Renewables has selected Peel Ports Group Great Yarmouth as its port of choice for pre-assembly on the 960MW East Anglia Two offshore wind farm.

The agreement will see the various components for the windfarm’s 64 latest-generation offshore wind turbines pre-assembled on shore – including the 192 blades being manufactured at the Siemens Gamesa factory in Hull – before installation offshore.

Siemens Gamesa turbine components and sections will arrive at the Norfolk site for assembly, before installation in the southern North Sea in 2028.

Offshore construction for East Anglia Two is expected to get underway in 2027, with the windfarm becoming operational in 2028.

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Forth Ports Limited, the UK’s third largest port operator has announced a £50 million private investment in infrastructure at the Port of Leith having secured its largest ever offshore wind contract, the delivery of the 1.1 gigawatt (GW) Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm.

This latest investment in infrastructure at the Port of Leith will enhance the port’s marine access, infrastructure and vessel assets and includes plant and equipment that will be used to deliver Inch Cape. It will also create up to 50 new and upskilled green energy jobs to support the project.

Forth Ports’ agreement with Inch Cape, to be sited off the Angus coast, will utilise the port operator’s bespoke facilities and expertise at newly created renewable energy hubs at both the Port of Leith and Port of Dundee.

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Ardersier Port Haventus Limited , the owner of Ardersier Port, has secured a £100m joint credit facility, made up of £50m each from the Scottish National Investment Bank and UK Infrastructure Bank.

The facility aims to underpin the creation of an infrastructure facility to support industrial-scale deployment of fixed and floating offshore wind.

Construction has now begun on the site, which includes the development of a new 650-metre quay wall and associated quayside.

Based in the Moray Firth, Ardersier Port is well located to support offshore wind developers and manufacturers of offshore wind components and equipment, as the circa 35 GW of ScotWind and INTOG project pipeline is built out.

Sitting within the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport, Ardersier should be able to offer a 450-acre site with quayside access and suitable infrastructure for marshalling, integration, manufacturing, and assembly of offshore wind.

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