RWE – the UK’s largest power generator and a world player in renewable generation, Mitsui & Co., Ltd. – a global trading and investment company with a diversified business portfolio that spans approximately 63 countries, and the Port of Tilbury London and the South East’s logistics hub, are developing an innovative hydrogen project at the Port of Tilbury in Essex as part of a recently signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) for two green hydrogen projects.

Hydrogen has a crucial role to play in helping the UK achieve its 2050 Net Zero ambitions and is an essential component for decarbonising different industrial sectors.

Through the MoU, the organisations will complete two parallel work streams:

A small scale ‘proof of concept’ demonstrator project to produce green hydrogen for decarbonising items of port equipment by switching from fossil fuels to hydrogen.

An initial study into a 10 megawatt green hydrogen plant. The facility will be developed on Port of Tilbury land previously housing a coal-fired power station, transforming an area historically associated with fossil fuel power generation to green hydrogen production, at the heart of the Thames Freeport.

The project will also look at options to scale up development over a ten year period upwards of 100 megawatts. The hydrogen would be used for port infrastructure and operations in addition to providing green hydrogen to the surrounding industry.

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The UK Infrastructure Bank is to help boost local and regional growth across the North East by committing up to £50 million to the Port of Tyne’s regeneration and expansion plans.

The Bank’s financing will enable the regeneration and redevelopment of the land that will provide a base for the growing number of green industries in the area, including offshore wind, which supports the UK’s transition to net zero and long-term energy security ambitions.

The regeneration and redevelopment projects will help the Port move towards a cleaner and greener future. As one of the largest employers in the region, the Port provides 12,000 jobs, and UKIB’s financing will help ensure these jobs continue to be supported.

UKIB’s investment will help the Port deliver its ‘Tyne 2050’ strategic plan to become net zero by 2030, and position the River Tyne as a gateway for both regional and maritime transformation, fully aligned to the UK government’s Maritime 2050 strategy and the North East Economic plan.

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Port of Aberdeen, in partnership with Subsea7, has secured a grant of £150,000 from The Scottish Government to investigate the feasibility of storing hydrogen underwater at the new Aberdeen South Harbour.

The ‘H2Shore – Hydrogen coastal storage and distribution’ project will conduct thorough engineering analyses to determine the most effective technological approach and identify an appropriate offshore location. Additionally, the project will develop an outline business case.

Energy consultancy firm, Xodus, is tasked with scrutinising the necessary distribution and bunkering requirements, with a focus on equipment, processes, and operating procedures.

This study is among 32 projects to receive funding from the Hydrogen Innovation Scheme, a programme dedicated to fostering innovation in renewable hydrogen production, storage, and distribution.

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DP World London Gateway alone reported a 14% rise in volumes to 2,053,000 TEU – the first time it has ever exceeded two million units in a year, consolidating its position as Britain’s second biggest container terminal. Together with Southampton, the two terminals handled a record 3,850,000 TEU compared with 3,675,000 in 2021.

Ernst Schulze, UK Chief Executive of DP World, said: “We help trade flow across the globe and this outstanding performance shows our ability to deliver on our commitment to boost growth, support businesses, create jobs and improve living standards in the UK.”

“Within a decade, London Gateway is likely to be handling up to 30% of the country’s containerised trade. Its port-centric logistics park will be one of the largest in Europe, employing 12,000 people and underpinned by investment in a second rail terminal and a new fourth berth.”

“At Southampton, we are investing to future-proof the port by improving its infrastructure and introducing warehousing facilities for our customers. We are committed to expanding its capacity as well as making it one of Britain’s most sustainable ports.”

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Alternative procurement has allowed a major investment in Portland Port to match the budget and put work on track to meet a demanding completion deadline.

Images of numerous cruise ships moored off the Dorset coast were published around the world during the pandemic. Now, multiple cruise ships look set to become a more regular sight at Portland, Dorset.

Portland Port is investing £25M in a new deep water berth (DWB) so that it can simultaneously accommodate two 350m long cruise ships. Knights Brown is the managing contractor charged with bringing the work in on time and budget.

With 58 cruise ships currently expected to dock there in 2023 and the first two of the larger ships both due to arrive in early May 2023, the pressure is on for Knights Brown and the team of contractors currently working on the DWB.

Construction is underway, but Portland Port had to look to a bespoke procurement approach, directly awarding packages of work so that it can manage the design and construction risks and bring the work in on time and on budget.

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Associated British Ports (ABP) is on the hunt for a contractor to design and construct roll-on/roll-off (RORO) terminal and marine infrastructure at the Port of Immingham in the Humber Estuary.

ABP has developed the concept design under its newly establish professional services framework and is going to market under a negotiated procedure to bring the design and build contractor onboard early.

The £90M contract will be awarded to a lead consortium who will work under a two-stage contracting method. The first stage will see the further development of the design in a collaboration between ABP and the contractor, while the second stage will see the completion of the remaining design and construction works.
The work will include design and construction of:

-Up to three new outer harbour berths to serve RORO and ROPAX vessels
-Associated marine infrastructure including finger pier, pontoon, link-span and jetty approach structures
-Landside development including freight and passenger vehicle parking and highways infrastructure over a minimum of 18.5ha
-A new passenger terminal building, including an engineering workshop and all associated incidental works

The contract duration is 26 months.

The deadline for expressions of interest is 15 August and invitations to tender are expected to be sent around 21 September.

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UK ports are threatening Westminster with legal action unless they are compensated for the millions they have spent building new border control facilities that may never be used.

Ports across the UK have built border control posts designed to carry out the post-Brexit physical spot checks on European plant and animal products (fruit, veg, meat, fish, cheese and timber) that were due to come into force from 1 July 2022.

But last April the UK government announced that these new UK-EU post-Brexit border control rules would be put on hold until at least the end of next year amid concerns about the cost-of-living crisis.

The UK’s second busiest cross-Channel Portsmouth has said that its £25m temperature-controlled border control post was finished on time for the July deadline and is ready to go, but the state-of-the-art new facility to be staffed by 67 officials is currently standing empty and may never be used.

Portsmouth Port is owned by Portsmouth City Council and the new facility’s ongoing operating costs are causing a serious drain on resources and forcing the council to cut other local services.

Consequently, Portsmouth City Council is looking at taking legal action against the government alongside other ports.

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UK Power Networks Services has won a contract to take the UK’s largest container port, and one of the largest in Europe, a step closer to Net Zero.

It will supply new electrical technology needed at the PORT OF FELIXSTOWE LIMITED to allow the port to step away from a reliance on red diesel, meet its Net Zero aspirations, reduce emissions and increase the resilience of the port’s electricity network.

This is the energy infrastructure company’s first major project in the ports industry and one of its largest projects in the last five years. The company already has proven experience and expertise from other industries such as rail, defence and aviation.

The three-year decarbonisation project includes upgrading the existing 11,000-volt electricity network to supply the seventeen new electric gantry cranes to help load and unload some of the four million containers they lift each year.

The electrification upgrade will also allow 48 new electric tractor units for the port to replace some of the existing diesel vehicles which transport containers around the port for distribution.

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Plans are being worked on which would see Plymouth’s Millbay Docks become a key strategic freight port and cruise terminal.

Plymouth City Council, Associated British Ports and Brittany Ferries have combined to press the UK government for funding to expand operations at the docks so it could also welcome superyachts and water taxis.

The organisations are working on a funding strategy which is likely to consider strategic Government cash available for freight, net zero and ports as well as private investment. While the details are being worked up, the changes proposed for the port are expected to include improvements to the quayside – not just for ferry and cruise passengers, but to enable a new generation of freight to come into the country from the continent and beyond.

The three organisations also want to create a sustainable “green” shipping port through the availability of shore power to help minimise emissions from vessels. Millbay could also support marine innovation hubs with access to the water and space to trial new and innovative technology.

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UK government and UK Government Wales/Llywodraeth DU Cymru have reach a £26 million deal to establish new Freeport in Wales

An agreement has been reached between the UK and Welsh governments to collaborate and deliver a new Freeport in Wales.

Backed by millions in UK government funding, the Freeport will support the regeneration of communities in Wales by attracting new businesses, jobs and investment, as well as growing the Welsh economy.

Bidders must show how they will create high-quality employment opportunities offering good salaries and conditions and meet the governments’ shared climate change commitments to reach net zero by 2050.

In another landmark step in cooperation, officials from UK and Welsh governments will jointly assess the bids in a fair and transparent selection process to ensure that the best possible sites come forward and that it delivers the maximum benefits to communities across Wales.

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