DONG Energy confirms new Operations base in Grimsby
DONG Energy, the market leader in offshore wind, today confirmed the signing of an agreement with Associated British Ports (ABP) to locate its permanent operations and maintenance (O&M) base on the Royal Dock in Grimsby. The facility will become the home of the Westermost Rough Offshore Wind Farm O&M team for the next 25 years
Construction of the new offices and warehouse will begin in January 2014 with completion planned for the end of 2014. It is estimated that up to 100 employees may be based at the Grimsby site offices, which will also have new pontoon access for 3 crew transfer vessels.
Duncan Clark, Programme Director for Westermost Rough at DONG Energy, said:
"We are very pleased to be able to confirm that Grimsby will be the permanent home for at least the next 25 years for the Westermost Rough team. The site in the Royal Docks offers good flexibility in terms of the port facilities that we need for operations and maintenance, and we are looking forward to getting the construction of the new office, as well as the wind farm offshore, underway in the new year."
Councillor Chris Shaw, leader of the council, said:
"We are delighted to be celebrating the official signing between ABP and DONG Energy to develop its new operations and maintenance facility in the Port of Grimsby.
"The council actively supports inward investors and over the last 18 months we have seen large scale investment from the likes of Centrica, E.ON, RES and of course DONG Energy. The local authority and its private sectors partners are leading the way by successfully establishing the area as the UK's central hub for offshore wind and additional investment from the government will only accelerate this, benefitting the whole of the economy across the Humber."
Jason Longhurst, the council's head of development, said:
"We have been working closely with DONG Energy and ABP over the last few months and are delighted to be celebrating DONG Energy's official signing to progress with their plans. Recent government commitments put NEL and the Humber at the forefront of the UK Offshore growth, this potential is already being delivered in NEL with key partners and this announcement marks the first deep water facility to ensure we are the leading Offshore location for UK plc.
"The growth of Grimsby Port in the last two to three years demonstrates the area's potential to lead the development of Offshore Energy and be a major player in the UK economic growth of this sector. This announcement puts the Port of Grimsby at the heart of the growth of Offshore Wind, its role in ensuring a sustainable and diverse energy supply chain for the UK, bringing sustainable jobs for in excess of 25 years."
John Fitzgerald, ABP Port Director, Humber, said:
"That DONG Energy has chosen to base its O&M operations in Grimsby is an enormous vote of confidence for our port, the town, and the wider region. It highlights the fact that this river really leads the way in the development of offshore wind.
"UK government's industrial strategy targets offshore wind and automotive as two key sectors in driving future business growth. This agreement, coupled with the recent huge investment in the Grimsby River Terminal, demonstrates that ABP's Port of Grimsby is at the forefront of this initiative. These projects provide a springboard for further investment and are playing a vital role in creating jobs in the locality."
About Westermost Rough
Offshore construction of Westermost Rough will begin in February 2014 when foundation installation at the site gets underway. The offshore substation and the 35 turbines will be installed over the course of 2014 with the project expected to be completed and fully commissioned by the middle of 2015.
The Westermost Rough offshore wind farm is located 8km from the Holderness coast, and marks the first time that the next generation Siemens 6MW turbine will be used on a commercial scale – an important step on DONG Energy's cost of energy reduction strategy. The wind farm will have a capacity of 210MW generating enough electricity to power approximately 210,000 homes.
Find out more about DONG Energy and the Westermost Rough project at our website www.dongenergy.com/humberregion or www.dongenergy.co.uk
Construction of the new offices and warehouse will begin in January 2014 with completion planned for the end of 2014. It is estimated that up to 100 employees may be based at the Grimsby site offices, which will also have new pontoon access for 3 crew transfer vessels.
Duncan Clark, Programme Director for Westermost Rough at DONG Energy, said:
"We are very pleased to be able to confirm that Grimsby will be the permanent home for at least the next 25 years for the Westermost Rough team. The site in the Royal Docks offers good flexibility in terms of the port facilities that we need for operations and maintenance, and we are looking forward to getting the construction of the new office, as well as the wind farm offshore, underway in the new year."
Councillor Chris Shaw, leader of the council, said:
"We are delighted to be celebrating the official signing between ABP and DONG Energy to develop its new operations and maintenance facility in the Port of Grimsby.
"The council actively supports inward investors and over the last 18 months we have seen large scale investment from the likes of Centrica, E.ON, RES and of course DONG Energy. The local authority and its private sectors partners are leading the way by successfully establishing the area as the UK's central hub for offshore wind and additional investment from the government will only accelerate this, benefitting the whole of the economy across the Humber."
Jason Longhurst, the council's head of development, said:
"We have been working closely with DONG Energy and ABP over the last few months and are delighted to be celebrating DONG Energy's official signing to progress with their plans. Recent government commitments put NEL and the Humber at the forefront of the UK Offshore growth, this potential is already being delivered in NEL with key partners and this announcement marks the first deep water facility to ensure we are the leading Offshore location for UK plc.
"The growth of Grimsby Port in the last two to three years demonstrates the area's potential to lead the development of Offshore Energy and be a major player in the UK economic growth of this sector. This announcement puts the Port of Grimsby at the heart of the growth of Offshore Wind, its role in ensuring a sustainable and diverse energy supply chain for the UK, bringing sustainable jobs for in excess of 25 years."
John Fitzgerald, ABP Port Director, Humber, said:
"That DONG Energy has chosen to base its O&M operations in Grimsby is an enormous vote of confidence for our port, the town, and the wider region. It highlights the fact that this river really leads the way in the development of offshore wind.
"UK government's industrial strategy targets offshore wind and automotive as two key sectors in driving future business growth. This agreement, coupled with the recent huge investment in the Grimsby River Terminal, demonstrates that ABP's Port of Grimsby is at the forefront of this initiative. These projects provide a springboard for further investment and are playing a vital role in creating jobs in the locality."
About Westermost Rough
Offshore construction of Westermost Rough will begin in February 2014 when foundation installation at the site gets underway. The offshore substation and the 35 turbines will be installed over the course of 2014 with the project expected to be completed and fully commissioned by the middle of 2015.
The Westermost Rough offshore wind farm is located 8km from the Holderness coast, and marks the first time that the next generation Siemens 6MW turbine will be used on a commercial scale – an important step on DONG Energy's cost of energy reduction strategy. The wind farm will have a capacity of 210MW generating enough electricity to power approximately 210,000 homes.
Find out more about DONG Energy and the Westermost Rough project at our website www.dongenergy.com/humberregion or www.dongenergy.co.uk