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Displaying items by tag: Pembroke Port

In south Wales, the Port of Milford Haven has appointed a new commercial manager for Pembroke Dock.

The appointment of Sharon Adams as the port's new Commercial Manager will be a key part to develop growing markets and support existing customers.

Sharon joins the port in Pembrokeshire from Chambers Wales where, most recently, she supported businesses with the changes required post-Brexit.

Previous to that Sharon’s career was predominantly in management roles within the hospitality and leisure industries with companies including The Parc by Thistle, St Brides Spa Hotel and Bluestone Resorts.

On joining the port, Sharon commented: “Learning more about the export and import markets really interested me, so when the opportunity to work with the Port came up I knew this was the right opportunity to put my commercial skills to good use. I’m very much looking forward to the challenge and the variety of businesses I’ll be working with.”

Commercial Director at the Port, Steve Edwards, said “Sharon has values that align to our culture and a wealth of commercial experience, and her latest role at Chambers Wales meant that she learnt a great deal about the movement of goods around the globe which puts her in an excellent position to help businesses grow whilst utilising our Pembroke site.”

Published in Ports & Shipping

Marine renewables sector in south-west Wales, is to High Speed Tranfers Marine, an offshore vessel company, expand into Pembrokeshire after recognising the opportunities of the sector in the region.

HST Marine provides solutions in shipping, vessel management and chartering to industries throughout Europe from their headquarters in Swansea.

After learning at an industry event last year of the £60m Pembroke Dock Marine project,  they now occupy an office and warehouse space in the heart of the development at Pembroke Port (see ferry deal) where they will be storing crew transfer vessels, RHIBs and workboats.

Site modifications are planned at Pembroke Port to create a modern port capable of delivering the needs of the marine energy and engineering sectors, including a deep-water slipway. Forming part of the ports' project as alluded, it will create the right conditions for job creation, skills development, supply chain resilience and economic growth.

CEO at HST Marine, Tom Nevin, sees this as a huge opportunity for Pembrokeshire. “Projects such as the Pembroke Dock Marine port infrastructure changes are crucial to HST’s current and long-term business plans. In order to expand, grow and compete with international companies, these types of projects are incredibly important and will help us to establish ourselves in south Wales” he said.

Tim James, Head of Commercial and Energy at the Port, has welcomed the team, commenting “HST Marine are bringing credible expertise and equipment to the growing cluster of specialists attracting year-round, well-paid employment opportunities into our community. Businesses like HST are recognising that Pembroke Dock, in particular, has the potential to play a major part in Wales’ aspiration to meet net zero targets and we must evolve our assets to meet their needs and those of future generations.”

Pembroke Dock Marine is funded by the Swansea Bay City Deal, the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government, and through private investment.

Published in Power From the Sea

#ports&shipping - Combi Dock III recently became the largest cargoship to visit Pembroke Port, Wales from where exported parts of a decommissioned oil refinery were loaded and bound for Pakistan.

The Murco refinery in Milford Haven closed in 2014 and is now owned by Puma Energy which runs it as a storage terminal.

Over the past year refinery parts have been transported by road to Pembroke Port for storage on the 69 acre site, with a team experienced in heavy lifts and unusual cargo, where the Combi Dock III was berthed. Additionally, a 201 tonne reactor was transported by the Terra Marique barge from Gelliswick Bay to Pembroke Port as it was too large to be moved by road.

The Combi Dock III is the largest vessel to berth at Pembroke Port, weighing in at 17,341 gross tons, measuring 162m in length with a beam of 25m. 3,239.94 tonnes of cargo is now on route to Pakistan; there it is expected to be reassembled. Two further exports of similar sizes are expected to take place over the next twelve to eighteen months.

Director of Quayside Operations at Pembroke Port, Natalie Britton, said “The movement of the refinery parts was well executed and the transfer onto the Combi Dock III ran smoothly. Our team provided moorings, berthing, quay space and laydown area, as well as safety inductions for the contractors on site. This is a prime example of how Pembroke Port can handle large and unusual size cargoes safely and efficiently.”

Afloat adds that Pembroke Port is predominently used as a ferryport by Irish Ferries Isle of Inishmore (34,000 gross tons) that serves the link to Rosslare.

There has been a ferry service between south Wales and Wexford since 1980 when the Pembrokeshire port was first developed for such operations. This involved the former Irish State owned shipping operator B+I Line running the route.

In more recent times, a berth nearby to the ferry linkspan, has been used to accommodate cruiseships. 

 

Published in Ports & Shipping

#PortWaveSub - An agreement between Marine Power Systems (MPS) following testing of key components of a pioneering wave powered renewable energy technology at Pembroke Port has been signed with the facility’s operator, the Port of Milford Haven.

The pump that is central to the concept of a pioneering WaveSub wave energy converter was tested in an onshore tidal lagoon at Pembroke Port. The pump will form part of the quarter size prototype that is now being developed by Swansea-based MPS. The WaveSub project has been part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government, with MPS receiving a £2 million grant in October 2015.

In a Memorandum of Understanding between MPS and the Port of Milford Haven, this will see deeper cooperation in WaveSub’s ongoing development. Wave energy is thought to hold great promise for delivering abundant renewable energy from the sea off the coast of Pembrokeshire and globally.

Due to the patent protected innovations of the WaveSub, it can be manufactured at commercial scale from a single facility in Wales and deployed throughout Europe.

Chief Executive of the Port of Milford Haven, Alec Don said, “Supporting companies with skills in the development of technologies and Intellectual Property is central to the Port’s strategy to promote a thriving marine renewable energy industry in the region.

“It’s great news to see Marine Power Systems go ahead with development of the WaveSub. It is just a few short months since Tidal Energy Ltd deployed their DeltaStream device, built here on the dockside, in the waters off the coast. Once again we are firmly committed to providing business support and help in kind and will be introducing MPS to some of the highly skilled companies the local supply chain can undoubtedly provide.”

Dr Gareth Stockman, co-founder and managing director of Marine Power Systems, said, “Marine Power Systems is hugely grateful to the Port of Milford Haven for its support. It has recently helped with the deployment and installation of the pump and it is great to know that they will be able to provide further assistance whilst manufacturing & deploying our ¼ scale prototype.”

 

Published in Power From the Sea

Ireland's Offshore Renewable Energy

Because of Ireland's location at the Atlantic edge of the EU, it has more offshore energy potential than most other countries in Europe. The conditions are suitable for the development of the full range of current offshore renewable energy technologies.

Offshore Renewable Energy FAQs

Offshore renewable energy draws on the natural energy provided by wind, wave and tide to convert it into electricity for industry and domestic consumption.

Offshore wind is the most advanced technology, using fixed wind turbines in coastal areas, while floating wind is a developing technology more suited to deeper water. In 2018, offshore wind provided a tiny fraction of global electricity supply, but it is set to expand strongly in the coming decades into a USD 1 trillion business, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). It says that turbines are growing in size and in power capacity, which in turn is "delivering major performance and cost improvements for offshore wind farms".

The global offshore wind market grew nearly 30% per year between 2010 and 2018, according to the IEA, due to rapid technology improvements, It calculated that about 150 new offshore wind projects are in active development around the world. Europe in particular has fostered the technology's development, led by Britain, Germany and Denmark, but China added more capacity than any other country in 2018.

A report for the Irish Wind Energy Assocation (IWEA) by the Carbon Trust – a British government-backed limited company established to accelerate Britain's move to a low carbon economy - says there are currently 14 fixed-bottom wind energy projects, four floating wind projects and one project that has yet to choose a technology at some stage of development in Irish waters. Some of these projects are aiming to build before 2030 to contribute to the 5GW target set by the Irish government, and others are expected to build after 2030. These projects have to secure planning permission, obtain a grid connection and also be successful in a competitive auction in the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS).

The electricity generated by each turbine is collected by an offshore electricity substation located within the wind farm. Seabed cables connect the offshore substation to an onshore substation on the coast. These cables transport the electricity to land from where it will be used to power homes, farms and businesses around Ireland. The offshore developer works with EirGrid, which operates the national grid, to identify how best to do this and where exactly on the grid the project should connect.

The new Marine Planning and Development Management Bill will create a new streamlined system for planning permission for activity or infrastructure in Irish waters or on the seabed, including offshore wind farms. It is due to be published before the end of 2020 and enacted in 2021.

There are a number of companies aiming to develop offshore wind energy off the Irish coast and some of the larger ones would be ESB, SSE Renewables, Energia, Statkraft and RWE.

There are a number of companies aiming to develop offshore wind energy off the Irish coast and some of the larger ones would be ESB, SSE Renewables, Energia, Statkraft and RWE. Is there scope for community involvement in offshore wind? The IWEA says that from the early stages of a project, the wind farm developer "should be engaging with the local community to inform them about the project, answer their questions and listen to their concerns". It says this provides the community with "the opportunity to work with the developer to help shape the final layout and design of the project". Listening to fishing industry concerns, and how fishermen may be affected by survey works, construction and eventual operation of a project is "of particular concern to developers", the IWEA says. It says there will also be a community benefit fund put in place for each project. It says the final details of this will be addressed in the design of the RESS (see below) for offshore wind but it has the potential to be "tens of millions of euro over the 15 years of the RESS contract". The Government is also considering the possibility that communities will be enabled to invest in offshore wind farms though there is "no clarity yet on how this would work", the IWEA says.

Based on current plans, it would amount to around 12 GW of offshore wind energy. However, the IWEA points out that is unlikely that all of the projects planned will be completed. The industry says there is even more significant potential for floating offshore wind off Ireland's west coast and the Programme for Government contains a commitment to develop a long-term plan for at least 30 GW of floating offshore wind in our deeper waters.

There are many different models of turbines. The larger a turbine, the more efficient it is in producing electricity at a good price. In choosing a turbine model the developer will be conscious of this ,but also has to be aware the impact of the turbine on the environment, marine life, biodiversity and visual impact. As a broad rule an offshore wind turbine will have a tip-height of between 165m and 215m tall. However, turbine technology is evolving at a rapid rate with larger more efficient turbines anticipated on the market in the coming years.

 

The Renewable Electricity Support Scheme is designed to support the development of renewable energy projects in Ireland. Under the scheme wind farms and solar farms compete against each other in an auction with the projects which offer power at the lowest price awarded contracts. These contracts provide them with a guaranteed price for their power for 15 years. If they obtain a better price for their electricity on the wholesale market they must return the difference to the consumer.

Yes. The first auction for offshore renewable energy projects is expected to take place in late 2021.

Cost is one difference, and technology is another. Floating wind farm technology is relatively new, but allows use of deeper water. Ireland's 50-metre contour line is the limit for traditional bottom-fixed wind farms, and it is also very close to population centres, which makes visibility of large turbines an issue - hence the attraction of floating structures Do offshore wind farms pose a navigational hazard to shipping? Inshore fishermen do have valid concerns. One of the first steps in identifying a site as a potential location for an offshore wind farm is to identify and assess the level of existing marine activity in the area and this particularly includes shipping. The National Marine Planning Framework aims to create, for the first time, a plan to balance the various kinds of offshore activity with the protection of the Irish marine environment. This is expected to be published before the end of 2020, and will set out clearly where is suitable for offshore renewable energy development and where it is not - due, for example, to shipping movements and safe navigation.

YEnvironmental organisations are concerned about the impact of turbines on bird populations, particularly migrating birds. A Danish scientific study published in 2019 found evidence that larger birds were tending to avoid turbine blades, but said it didn't have sufficient evidence for smaller birds – and cautioned that the cumulative effect of farms could still have an impact on bird movements. A full environmental impact assessment has to be carried out before a developer can apply for planning permission to develop an offshore wind farm. This would include desk-based studies as well as extensive surveys of the population and movements of birds and marine mammals, as well as fish and seabed habitats. If a potential environmental impact is identified the developer must, as part of the planning application, show how the project will be designed in such a way as to avoid the impact or to mitigate against it.

A typical 500 MW offshore wind farm would require an operations and maintenance base which would be on the nearby coast. Such a project would generally create between 80-100 fulltime jobs, according to the IWEA. There would also be a substantial increase to in-direct employment and associated socio-economic benefit to the surrounding area where the operation and maintenance hub is located.

The recent Carbon Trust report for the IWEA, entitled Harnessing our potential, identified significant skills shortages for offshore wind in Ireland across the areas of engineering financial services and logistics. The IWEA says that as Ireland is a relatively new entrant to the offshore wind market, there are "opportunities to develop and implement strategies to address the skills shortages for delivering offshore wind and for Ireland to be a net exporter of human capital and skills to the highly competitive global offshore wind supply chain". Offshore wind requires a diverse workforce with jobs in both transferable (for example from the oil and gas sector) and specialist disciplines across apprenticeships and higher education. IWEA have a training network called the Green Tech Skillnet that facilitates training and networking opportunities in the renewable energy sector.

It is expected that developing the 3.5 GW of offshore wind energy identified in the Government's Climate Action Plan would create around 2,500 jobs in construction and development and around 700 permanent operations and maintenance jobs. The Programme for Government published in 2020 has an enhanced target of 5 GW of offshore wind which would create even more employment. The industry says that in the initial stages, the development of offshore wind energy would create employment in conducting environmental surveys, community engagement and development applications for planning. As a site moves to construction, people with backgrounds in various types of engineering, marine construction and marine transport would be recruited. Once the site is up and running , a project requires a team of turbine technicians, engineers and administrators to ensure the wind farm is fully and properly maintained, as well as crew for the crew transfer vessels transporting workers from shore to the turbines.

The IEA says that today's offshore wind market "doesn't even come close to tapping the full potential – with high-quality resources available in most major markets". It estimates that offshore wind has the potential to generate more than 420 000 Terawatt hours per year (TWh/yr) worldwide – as in more than 18 times the current global electricity demand. One Terawatt is 114 megawatts, and to put it in context, Scotland it has a population a little over 5 million and requires 25 TWh/yr of electrical energy.

Not as advanced as wind, with anchoring a big challenge – given that the most effective wave energy has to be in the most energetic locations, such as the Irish west coast. Britain, Ireland and Portugal are regarded as most advanced in developing wave energy technology. The prize is significant, the industry says, as there are forecasts that varying between 4000TWh/yr to 29500TWh/yr. Europe consumes around 3000TWh/year.

The industry has two main umbrella organisations – the Irish Wind Energy Association, which represents both onshore and offshore wind, and the Marine Renewables Industry Association, which focuses on all types of renewable in the marine environment.

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