‘Windcat 38’ being launched at the Port of Lowestoft
Windcat Workboats has launched its latest vessel for the growing renewable energy industry at ABP’s Port of Lowestoft.
The vessel, ‘Windcat 38, ’ is the first to be launched following the signing of a long term lease agreement between ABP and Windcat Workboats for their new marine engineering facility in the port.
Windcat Workboats owns and operates over 38 offshore crew transfer vessels which are predominantly used in the European offshore wind sector.
The facility, over 1370 square metres in size, will be the main hub for servicing and maintenance of Windcat Workboats entire fleet.
Managing Director of Windcat Workboats Neil Clarkson said: “We have a great deal of confidence that Lowestoft will support our business growth. The town is close to the main European market which, with the development of the East Anglia One and Galloper Offshore Wind Farms, will continue to expand.
“The development of the engineering base was made possible with the support of Associated British Ports who provide the hoisting facilities enabling the development of the site to go ahead. ‘Windcat 38’ will be one in a long line of Windcats working on Greater Gabbard Offshore Wind Farm.”
ABP Short Sea Ports Director Andrew Harston said: “We are delighted that Windcat Workboats have selected the Port of Lowestoft as the long term base for their vessel support facility, which adds to the growing cluster of support services that can be offered from Lowestoft. These activities all help to support the North Sea Energy Sector and add to the attraction to invest in the Lowestoft area.”
ABP Lowestoft Port Manager Paul Brooks said: “We are committed to working with our customers to support their business needs. Being able to provide a long-term lease arrangement for Windcat Workboats’ engineering facility will have a positive flow-on effect not only to the company, but for Lowestoft and the offshore wind sector.”
| About ABP East Anglia |
With the support of its customers, ABP’s Ports of East Anglia, King’s Lynn, Lowestoft and Ipswich contribute £340 million to the UK economy every year and support 3, 577 jobs in the region and 5, 000 jobs nationally.
- ABP’s East Anglia ports handle around 2.2 million tonnes of cargo every year.
- Ports in East Anglia handle over 1.3 million tonnes of agribulks and 150, 000 tonnes of timber annually.
About ABP
ABP is the UK’s leading ports operator with 21 ports and other transport related businesses creating a unique national network capable of handling a vast array of cargo.
ABP contributes £5.6 billion to the UK economy every year and supports 84, 000 jobs. Our current investment programme promises to deliver an extra £1.75 billion for the economy every year.
ABP…
- · Handles over 1.5 million vehicles every year
- · Generates around one quarter of the UK’s rail freight
- · Has 1.4 million square metres of covered storage
- · Has 1, 000 hectares of open storage
- · Handles around 100m tonnes of cargo each year
- · Owns 5, 000 hectares of port estate
- · Has 87km of quay
Our five year investment programme is worth £837 million. Our investment is designed to respond to the needs of our customers whose business relies on our ports for access to international and, in some cases, domestic markets.
