Orsted has chosen new UK port facility Steel River Quay as a construction base for the Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm.
Orsted has signed a lease agreement for up to 300,000 square metres at Steel River Quay – a key part of the Teesworks site on the south bank of the River Tees in the north-east of England.
Steel River Quay will play a vital role in the construction of the 2.9GW Hornsea 3 wind farm as it will be used to collect and store key components, such as monopile foundations and secondary steel, before they are loaded onto offshore wind installation vessels.
The weight of each monopile can be more than 2300 tonnes, almost as much as Nelson’s Column in London’s Trafalgar Square.
Designed to support the offshore wind industry, the new port facility commenced full operation during the third quarter of 2024. Hornsea 3 will be the first large-scale offshore wind project to use Steel River Quay as its base.
Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “Our mission to become a clean energy superpower is focused on attracting investment for local communities, creating new jobs, and ensuring energy security for families and businesses.
“This partnership delivers on that promise – Hornsea 3 will drive growth throughout Teesside and help rebuild Britain’s industrial heartlands as part of our Plan for Change.”
Senior project director for Hornsea 3 Jason Ledden said: “Orsted’s choice of Steel River Quay at Teesworks for Hornsea 3 demonstrates our continued commitment to investing in British infrastructure, growth and jobs.
“The port is the first in the UK to be specifically designed for the offshore wind industry and we’re proud to be its first large-scale users.
“Offshore wind is not only generating clean, plentiful energy – it’s bringing economic benefits to communities all around the UK.”
Located 160km off the Yorkshire coast and 120km off the Norfolk coast, Hornsea 3 will have a generating capacity of 2.9GW – enough green energy to power more than 3 million UK homes.
Steel River Quay’s managing director Ally Cameron said: “This is a landmark moment for Steel River Quay and the wider Teesworks site.
“To welcome Orsted’s Hornsea 3 project as our first large-scale offshore wind base is a huge vote of confidence in the infrastructure, location and capability we’ve built here.
“This partnership will not only deliver clean energy infrastructure for the UK but also drive jobs, investment and opportunity for our region.”
Teesworks Ltd chairman Chris Musgrave added: “Today’s announcement is a significant milestone for Teesworks and for the Tees Valley. Orsted’s decision to base such a critical part of Hornsea 3’s construction at Steel River Quay underlines the site’s strategic importance and the world-class industrial platform we’ve created here.
“This is exactly the kind of transformational project we envisaged when we began regenerating this site – bringing new industries, new opportunities and a new future to the banks of the Tees.”
As well as being specially designed for offshore wind industry standards, Steel River Quay is in close proximity to Hornsea 3. It is also home to two of Hornsea 3’s contract partners, Severfield, which will supply secondary steel structures, and SeAH, one of the wind farm’s monopile suppliers. Cadeler will supply the vessels to Hornsea 3 from Steel River Quay, with Mammoet carrying out heavy lifting operations.
Picture, from left: Ally Cameron, John Barnes and Jason Ledden