Wind Blowing Opportunity for Port of Sunderland (UK)

Wearside is already profiting from the off-shore wind boom as the Port of Sunderland attracts survey ships from the North Sea.

City leaders are gearing up to grab a slice of the gargantuan wind farms planned off the North East coast, with hopes of creating jobs by winning manufacturing, service and maintenance contracts.

Port director Matthew Hunt has revealed the city has already been used by ships surveying the offshore wind farm sites, which he said was a taste of things to come.

“We’ve dipped our toe in the water and had a little bit of success, and we’re going forward to look at other opportunities,” he said.

Mr Hunt said the survey vessels had chosen to use the port for crew changes, picking up supplies and other routine necessities which required them to head back to shore.

He was speaking at a meeting of Sunderland City Council’s economic and prosperity scrutiny committee, which has chosen to scrutinise work and opportunities on the low-carbon economy on Wearside as part of its work for the year.

Washington East councillor Ian Cuthbert said it was good to hear the port was already attracting business from the offshore wind project because most people believed it would be some time before the new sector started benefiting Sunderland.

“It’s good news that it’s bringing in revenue early and there is going to be a low more with the maintenance side of it,” he said.

“It’s good to see we’re not being complacent and we’re thinking outside the box.”

Mr Hunt presented a map to the committee showing large swathes of land free for development in the port area which could be used for developments linked to the offshore wind industry.

He said there were many components on the turbines which must be made somewhere, and the power would also have to come ashore somewhere on the North East coast, and Sunderland was in a good position to land that business.

Silksworth councillor Peter Gibson asked if there was any potential for wind turbines to be built on shore at the port area itself, making use of the land – particularly that which was not next to people’s homes.

Mr Hunt said he had not considered this possibility and would look into the suggestion.

(sunderlandecho)

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Source: sunderlandecho, December 27, 2010