The Port of Blyth and its partner, Energy Central, has supported the announcement from the UK Government of a 10-week consultation on its ‘freeports vision’.
Port of Blyth chief executive Martin Lawlor said: “The port welcomes the recent launch of the freeports consultation from the Treasury and the Department for International Trade and is committed to working closely with all stakeholders in this process.
The consultation process is expected to run until April and covers a wide range of freeport related matters including devolution, customs, tax, planning, regeneration, innovation, additional policies and governance.
“Given the strength of the Energy Central partnership in Blyth and the potential of several nationally significant offshore energy related developments taking place around the estuary, the port believes it is well placed to make the most of such an opportunity.”
As one of the UK’s offshore energy support hubs, the Port of Blyth and businesses working on the estuary could potentially stand to benefit from the establishment of UK freeports and the free trade zone a freeport status could bring to the region.
Energy Central is a partnership between Port of Blyth, Northumberland County Council, the council’s development arm Advance Northumberland and the Offshore Energy Renewable Catapult.
Advance Northumberland chairman Richard Wearmouth said: “A freeport in Blyth has the potential to provide a significant boost to the local and regional economy.
“Unlike many other locations the Blyth estuary benefits from significant areas of land available for development. I am looking forward in due course to positive discussions with the Government about what the Port of Blyth has to offer and why we it would be a strong contender for freeport status.”