海角视频

Plans to create a world leading innovation cluster in marine energy off the Pembrokeshire coast have taken a significant step forward.

The joint committee of the Swansea Bay City Deal, made up of the leaders of the four local authorities聽 of the Swansea Bay City Region in Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, have signed off a detailed business case for the 拢60m Pembroke Dock Marine project.

It will now be submitted to the 海角视频 Government and Welsh Government, who are backing the region's City Deal, for final approval.

Led by the private sector and supported by聽Pembrokeshire聽County Council, Pembroke Dock Marine is expected to create 1,800 jobs and聽 generate an annual boost of 拢73.5m for the economy of the Swansea Bay City Region.

The scheme is seeking 拢28m from the 拢1.3bn Swansea Bay City Deal programme, with the aim of leveraging a further 拢32m of public and private funding.

The project is made up of four elements with:

• A Marine Energy Test Area (META) led by Marine Energy Wales within the Milford Haven Waterway, enabling technology developers to test their devices near their base of operation. META phase one was officially opened for business in September 2019.

• 聽The聽Pembrokeshire聽Demonstration Zone (PDZ) delivered by Wave Hub Ltd for the testing of full-scale wave and floating wind energy technologies. Located 13 miles off the South聽Pembrokeshire聽coast, the 90 square kilometre facility would be the largest of its kind in the world.

• 聽A Marine Energy Engineering Centre of Excellence (MEECE) delivered by offshore wind, wave and tidal energy specialists ORE Catapult. Based at Pembroke Port, MEECE will be a collaboration between ORE Catapult and Welsh universities, providing expert knowledge for the marine energy industry. MEECE will also carry out life testing of marine energy components to boost their longevity.

• Pembroke Dock Infrastructure, led by the Port of Milford Haven, will redevelop gate four at Pembroke Port to create large construction and laydown areas for marine energy devices, helping meet the needs of modern industry.聽 A supersize slipway will be developed alongside extension of berthing space for use by marine energy work boats to meet the demands of the industry as it continues to mature.

Chief executive of the Port of Milford Haven, Andy Jones, said:聽鈥淭he dockyard in Pembroke Dock has always evolved to meet the needs of the maritime sector it is there to serve, capitalising on our skilled workforce and naturally occurring assets to drive inward investment, global reach and economic prosperity.

鈥淥ffshore renewables are now in the mainstream energy mix and will play an even larger role as we work towards decarbonisation by 2050.

"For聽Pembrokeshire聽and the region to capitalise, we must have an offering in place that can accommodate the needs of technology developers and their supply chain.

"Funded through the City Deal, Pembroke Dock Marine will drive that next evolution, supporting current businesses to grow through fit for purpose facilities on land and sea backed up with expert support to solve common problems for the good of all.

鈥淧embroke Dock Marine is the foundation that this offering will be built off, and we welcome the support at all levels to get this project to the final approval stage.鈥�

Leader of聽Pembrokeshire聽County Council, David Simpson, said: 鈥淭he joint Committee鈥檚 approval of Pembroke Dock Marine is a major step forward for the project, so we鈥檇 encourage final sign-off from both governments as soon as possible for the City Deal funding to be released.

鈥淭his project will create high quality jobs for local people, while benefitting local supply chain businesses and boosting the economy of聽Pembrokeshire聽and the Swansea Bay City Region as a whole.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a statement of intent as we look to further build on the county鈥檚 fast-growing reputation for innovation by transforming聽Pembrokeshire聽into a global centre of excellence for the marine energy sector.

鈥淭his project will combine with others in the region due to be part-funded by the City Deal to act as a catalyst for even more investment, economic growth and well-paid employment opportunities.