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• MAJOR STEP FORWARD FOR ABLE UK MARINE ENERGY PARK PROJECT

  Plans for a major new port development in the UK have taken a significant step forward. Read more

  Sun 15 Jan 2012

marine energy park

The scale of the site affords the unique opportunity to develop an integrated cluster of activity which would incorporate direct manufacture by the original equipment manufacturers and their supply chains. The sites features provide maximum opportunities regarding both production efficiencies and deployment.

• Deep water heavy quays
• Large available plots of land (large or small land size requirements can be met)
• Rail Access (direct to TATA steel plant)
• Industrial area (24/7 operations)
• Proximity to major highways (quick access to national motorway spine)
• Numerous high density population areas from the surrounding towns and cities
• Close proximity to North Sea wind farm zones
• Wide Estuary (2.9km at widest point)

The site is located on the Killingholme Marshes and North Killingholme Haven on the Humber Estuary. Immediately to the north of the site is the Humber Sea Terminal (HST); ABP Immingham Port lies to the south. The site's western boundary runs adjacent to Rosper Road, beyond which are the Total and Conoco oil refineries (which account for 25 per cent of the UK refinery capacity) as well as the Conoco Philips Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Plant.

Quays

AMEP will have new quays available in 2014 built progressively according to the client’s needs.

The quays have been designed following extensive liaison with the offshore wind industry (developers, manufactures and installation vessel operators).

Using industry information we have designed the quays as follows:

• Total Quay Length: 1,279m
• Quay width: 28m
• Quay surface: concrete
• Concrete Quay capacity: 20Te/m2 UDL with patch loads up to 100Te/ m2
• Quays will provide - 11m CD
• Berthing pocket: 60m - re-engineered river bed pocket to ensure the suitability for deployment of the next generation jack up vessels
• Quays designed to be capable of operating to - 17m CD
• Bollards 150Te, 30m apart
• The area has no history of operations being interrupted by ice or sand
• ‘Staging’ area 45ha

The marine development, through the construction of concrete quays and land reclamation will cover an area of 45 ha (136 acres) extending into the Humber estuary. The specialist facility will require the provision of additional land to compensate for the loss of intertidal and sub-tidal habitats. Appropriate compensation land has been identified on the north bank of the Humber and discussions are well advanced with both the relevant land owner and environmental bodies.

Land

The terrestrial development area covers approximately 245 ha (605 acres) and will comprise large industrial buildings for manufacturing and assembly of offshore wind turbines with extensive areas of open storage for component parts of the offshore turbine structures along with offices and administrative buildings.

To date £50m has been invested in preparing AMEP for the prompt construction of suitable industrial facilities for its tenants.

• The development land has been designed to the appropriate flood defence levels agreed and established by the UK Environment Agency. This is on the basis of a flood risk assessment and will accommodate the 1 in 200 year tidal event, which has an annual occurrence probability of 0.5%
• The Offshore Wind industry has advanced rapidly and we understand that precisely identifying what the industry will be like in 2030 is difficult. AMEP however has the scale of land, the size and design of quays, that allow for significant expansion in terms of both plant and overall capacity. It is hard to envisage any other port that provides such a vision. We believe that AMEP will provide an unassailable advantage in the future for its tenants
• The site is flat with a UDL of 10t/m2 and a patch load of 50t/m2 with no risk of environmental contamination
• In the heart of an industrial area and with no residential neighbours, AMEP is suitable for operations to work 24 hours per day; 7 days per week, as required
• AMEP provides tenants with first right of refusal on adjacent land enabling planned phased investment
• We understand that tenants will require individual, bespoke capital equipment. However, to reduce up front capital expenditure AMEP will provide multi-user services that are available to hire such as large cranes, reach/lift trucks, dock cranes and SPMTs etc. The objective is to enable enhanced utilisation of large items by hiring the specialised equipment between various tenants on site thus removing all mobilisation and demobilisation costs and reducing hiring charges in times of peak activity or equipment failure. Tenants will receive beneficial rates, which should increase competitiveness and profitability
• AMEP is adjacent to the planned Able Logistics Park (ALP) – a 270 ha greenfield site with full planning permission granted for the creation of extensive warehousing (1,700,000m²) and external storage and transportation depots. The development of ALP will compliment AMEP’s tenants, potentially enabling a just in time approach, minimising inventories sustaining and maximising efficiencies and workflow concepts
• Planning height clearance for turbines to be assembled on site
• Enterprise Zone status includes Special Planning Zone (SPZ) benefits to expedite the detailed planning process for potential clients
• Fuel and Diesel supplies can be obtained to site via road and barge
• Lighting – 50m high lighting columns across the site with 30m lighting columns within the business park and supplier park areas
• Security – 24 hour security with gate houses on all designated entrances. The port will have full industry security accreditations. Compounds and facilities will be boundary fenced with effective use of landscaping to further mitigate security issues and provide clear on-site demarcation

Whilst Able UK has the resource, ambition and desire to execute our development we must maintain a respectful understanding of the need to preserve the Humber’s natural environment whilst providing the infrastructure needed to realise its full economic potential. It seems somewhat fitting that the Humber has an opportunity to be pivotal to an industry whose overall objective is to halt climate change. In our view this could not provide a more fitting legacy for this great region.

The total number of jobs on site is expected to be in excess of 4,000, although many more are expected to be created in ancillary industries. The offshore wind industry is an emerging high-tech industry which will provide a range of professional, skilled and semi-skilled employment opportunities.