Humber Ports Port – It May Have Seemed Quiet But……

Posted on the : 17th August 2017

Humber Ports Port (AHP) is a privately-owned port development situated on the South bank of the River Humber, on the East coast of the UK, and designed to be a bespoke facility which will serve the needs of the Offshore Renewable Energy sector.

AHP was conceived in late 2009, and after a planning process that ran for well over three years the port achieved planning permission in February 2015. ABLE remains committed to ensuring that AHP will be a key player in the continued expansion of the Humber by striving to deliver a world class port facility primarily for the renewable energy sectors.

Since the concept was first developed, ABLE has remained resolute in the face of a number of significant challenges, and has characteristically continued ‘to put its money where its mouth is’, while quietly getting on with the job in hand.

In summary:

1. The vast majority of conditions relating to the Development Consent Order have been discharged.

2. The Quay Design has been completed, with a design specification of a heavy duty quay designed to take up to 20 t/m² with dredged depths of up to -17.5 m CD. The quay is designed to provide an installation base for the offshore renewable energy sector and to accommodate the needs of jack-up installation vessels and associated construction vessels.

3. The Pumping Station is in construction and has been designed to accommodate a 1 in 100 year extreme weather event and a 100 year climate change condition. It will benefit both AHP and the surrounding area with anticipated completion in mid-2018.

4. ABLE is constructing two new additional access roads to ensure that the site has appropriate transport links.

5. Development works continue to provide a heavy duty ground-bearing capacity of 10 tons UDL and patch loads up to 100 tons per m². Almost two million tons of stone has been laid over the last 24 months to ensure that ABLE can deliver the requirements of prospective clients.

6. Ecological mitigation/compensation works are underway to provide optimal terrestrial habitat for protected bird species. The scheme includes the development of 90 hectares of wet grassland habitat to provide a feeding and roosting resource for birds including the Curlew and Black-Tailed Godwit. The scheme details have been extensively scrutinised by the regulatory authorities, including Natural England. Monitoring of the areas will ensure its long term effectiveness.

There remains a strong appetite and need for the project, and North Lincolnshire Council, Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm and the Humber LEP remain steadfast in their support.

Simon Green, Executive Director – Commercial at North Lincolnshire Council commented: “As the local planning authority NLC has been steadfast in its support of AHP and have, through the period from inception to date, enjoyed a strong and collaborative relationship with Able. The project has unique qualities and is central to our own aspirations. By some margin it is the largest element of the UK’s biggest Enterprise Zone.”

Lord Haskins, Chair of the Humber LEP added: “The Humber LEP has, from day one, been strong advocates of the proposed AHP development. We share it’s vision to establish a large and meaningful cluster based on the South Humber Bank and believe that it genuinely represents a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to provide much needed and sustainable economic regeneration. Our enthusiasm, support and commitment has not diminished and as a LEP we are well placed to assist any would-be occupants to bring their plans to fruition.”

James Cotter, Project Director at Triton Knoll said, ‘Triton Knoll fully supports the development of the AHP facility as a hub for offshore wind construction and supply chain manufacturing. AHP has the potential to create significant additional employment in the local area, build the Humber’s reputation as the global epicentre for offshore wind, and capture a UK supply chain that will drive the export potential that a post-Brexit Britain needs. As AHP’s potential first customer, we have spent many months working with ABLE to help realise these benefits. Triton Knoll will use AHP as a construction base if we can gain certainty in the near future that the quay will be built in time.’

So, whilst it may have seemed a touch quiet, ABLE has, put quite simply, been getting on with the job in hand.

ABLE continues with the development and retains the very clear view that persistence and patience will see AHP come to fruition and that, through it all, having the best product will, in the end, prove to be good enough.

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