The Celtic Freeport has published its Five-Year Plan, outlining how it will accelerate investment, create high-quality jobs and strengthen South and West Wales' position as a leading hub for energy, manufacturing and engineering.
The Freeport is designed to attract investment into growing green sectors including low-carbon fuels, floating offshore wind, clean energy manufacturing and advanced engineering.
Spanning locations in Milford Haven and Port Talbot, the Celtic Freeport is a public-private sector partnership that includes Associated British Ports, Camplas, Dragon LNG, Impala, Ledwood Mechanical Engineering, Neath Port Talbot Council, the Port of Milford Haven, RWE and Pembrokeshire County Council.
Over a 25 year period, the Celtic Freeport is projected to deliver more than £8 billion in investment and 11,500 jobs.
The plan says the key driver of the Freeport’s vision is working with local partners to develop a diversified economy that includes a matrix of technologies for energy generation and consumption.
It says that Celtic Freeport will:
- Enable major port infrastructure upgrades to support the roll-out of floating offshore wind (FLOW).
- Help to provide the backbone for a cleaner future based on the hydrogen economy, sustainable fuels, carbon capture and storage, cleaner steel and low-carbon logistics.
- Support the growth of new advanced manufacturing industries.
- Support development of enabling skills and high-value employment opportunities in these sectors.
The plan also outlines challenges, which it identifies as difficulties in attracting upfront investment required to upgrade infrastructure; “development blockers” such as grid connection issues and progression through planning permission and policy challenges; energy and manufacturing industries which present new supply chain challenges and an increasing need for decarbonisation; and the need for developments to translate into tangible skills and employment opportunities for local people.
It also details how the Celtic Freeport will work in conjunction with delivery partners across the local ecosystem to:
- Drive capital investment into key Freeport industries and developments.
- Support and facilitate landowners to progress key development projects.
- Explore local supply chain innovation and decarbonisation pathways.
- Lay the foundations for a thriving skills market and sustainable local employment.
Cathy Hall, Interim CEO of the Celtic Freeport, said:
“This Five-Year Plan sets out how the Celtic Freeport will support businesses across the region to decarbonise, grow and access new opportunities. We will be focusing on delivering projects to consolidate the region's strong industrial future.”
