A landmark wind factory on the Teesworks industrial site has reached a major milestone with the arrival of the first vessel to supply raw materials for production trials to the factory.
The £500m-plus SeAH Wind monopile manufacturing facility has the potential to create and sustain 2,250 jobs across the region, and the scheme last year secured a £367m funding package from Ƶ Export Finance (ƵEF) and K-Sure.
Now, The Jalonborg, an 89 metre-long supply ship, has docked at the recently completed Steel River Quay after sailing from Europe with a 2,578-tonne cargo of steel plates for the South Korean manufacturer’s factory, just a few hundred yards from the quay on the south bank of the River Tees.
It took two and a half days to unload at the quay, before being transferred to the factory which is rapidly taking shape nearby. The quay will also perform a crucial role for the SeAH Wind factory’s output hosting the vessels which will eventually transport the giant monopiles out to sea once they are completed.
Peter Ivey, chief operations officer at SeAH Wind, said: “We are thrilled to enter the next phase with the arrival of 2,500 tonnes of raw material, which we witnessed being unloaded from the vessel here at Steel River Quay. This marks the first significant material delivery, enabling pre-production trials to commence and reducing risk ahead of commercial launch in 2025.”
Around £114m has been invested into creating the Steel River Quay on the back of a loan by the Ƶ Infrastructure Bank. The amount is to be repaid in full by private partners of Teesworks Ltd as activity at the quay ramps up.
Teesworks CEO Martin Corney said: “This marks another important milestone in the development of the Teesworks site and is the perfect example of the importance of the Steel River Quay and its facilities to companies setting up their operations here.
“The deep-water capabilities and substantial storage on offer mean that even the largest vessels are able to berth safely here, bringing in large quantities of components and raw materials and taking away finished products to destinations around the world.
“We are delighted to see this first shipment arrive for the SeAH Wind factory and look forward to seeing many more come in to dock over the coming months and years.”
Bill Draper, general manager at ASCO, quayside operator at Steel River Quay, said: “It is great to be able to welcome the Jalonborg to Steel River Quay and to demonstrate ASCO’s capabilities in vessel hosting and shipment handling.”
James Braid, divisional director at Clarksons Offshore and Renewables, which provides integrated logistics management services at Steel River Quay, added: “This may not be the largest shipment, but it is a significant one, and Clarksons is very proud to have provided a turnkey solution for chartering and port agency services.”
Plans are currently being considered for phase two of the Steel River Quay which could increase the length of the quay by up to 300 metres, depending on demand from potential occupiers and users.
