Associated British Ports (ABP) is a vital enabler of the UK's transformation to net zero. ABP has over 30 years’ experience partnering with the UK’s offshore energy industry and supporting developers through the full offshore wind project lifecycle, by providing strategically located bases for big green energy projects. For example, our ports have supported the installation of over 500 turbines, this provides half of the UK’s total offshore wind energy, that’s over 7GW of clean wind energy.
Future Port Talbot
We have exciting plans to transform our port. For example, our ports have supported the installation of over 500 turbines, and this provides half of the UK’s total offshore wind energy; that’s over 7GW of clean wind energy.
Our Future Port Talbot programme will see the port become the central location for the manufacturing, assembly and integration of FLOW for projects in the Celtic Sea.
But it’s not just about FLOW. We want to see the port become a critical hub for sustainable energy development, starting with LanzaTech's sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production facility which has secured planning permission from Neath Port Talbot Council.
Future developments could also include the establishment of advanced hydrogen and carbon capture utilisation and storage facilities, positioning the port as a premier green energy hub in Wales, driving jobs, prosperity and sustainability in the region.
The port at Port Talbot has been at the forefront of industrial change before, and ABP’s vision for developing the port means it can be again.
The port at Port Talbot has suitable tidal conditions, a natural sheltered deep-water harbour and large amounts of developable land. It is also ideally located close to emerging offshore wind opportunities in the Celtic Sea and beyond in terms of export potential. It sits within a region and communities which have a rich heritage of industry and a strong source of relevant skills and experience.
Our exciting plan for the port provides a major growth opportunity for Wales and the UK. We are working with our partners to create a world-class manufacturing and supply chain hub and provide opportunities for broader green energy and industrial activity. This offers the opportunity to spark wider economic regeneration across South Wales.
Together with ABP’s port at Swansea, the proximity of Swansea Bay allows for coordination on construction support and provides a location for supply chain organisations to locate – maximising the benefits that floating offshore wind can achieve by co-location in these adjacent ports, only five nautical miles apart. We see the Swansea Bay being an essential foundation for a wider network of green growth opportunities.
And we’ve already made considerable progress.
The Celtic Freeport
In March 2023, the Celtic Freeport was successfully shortlisted to be one of Wales’s first two freeports.
The Celtic Freeport is a collaboration between ABP’s port of Port Talbot, the port of Milford Haven, Neath Port Talbot Council and Pembrokeshire County Council.
The freeport will be the backbone for a cleaner future based on floating offshore wind, the hydrogen economy, sustainable fuels, carbon capture and storage, and low-carbon logistics.
It is a unique opportunity for South Wales to unlock opportunities – by accelerating innovation, encouraging significant investment, and fast-tracking modern skills for new green industries to support the UK’s net zero ambitions.
The Celtic Freeport has plans for a cluster of low-carbon industries including hydrogen, sustainable fuels, carbon capture and storage and low-carbon logistics.
The Celtic Freeport is aiming to submit the final business case to the UK and Welsh Governments as soon as practicable and, if successfully approved, the port at Port Talbot will benefit from tax and customs incentives.
If you’d like to learn more about the Celtic Freeport, you can do so here.
* Computer-generated image of what a fully realised vision of the port at Port Talbot could look like. Note that the representations of the project will evolve as developer requirements and technology parameters become clearer.
FLOWMIS
Our plans for the development of the port at Port Talbot have also been advanced to the primary list phase of the UK Government’s Floating Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Scheme (FLOWMIS) – one of only two locations in the UK to have been recognised in this way.
FLOWMIS provides grant funding to support the delivery of critical port infrastructure that will enable the delivery of floating offshore wind.
The FLOWMIS award, along with ABP’s significant investment, will begin to unlock a projected £1 billion of investment in Port Talbot and the surrounding area.
Community and heritage
We are proud of the major role we play in the Welsh economy and of our strong links in the community. Our five ports in South Wales already make a major contribution to the Welsh economy.
We want to use Port Talbot’s industrial heritage, existing skilled manufacturing workforce and unique capabilities to deliver a positive and sustainable future for South Wales. This ambition is set out in our published Wales Vision, which talks about the vital role our ports can play in a sustainable industrial renaissance for South Wales. To find out more about our vision in Wales please click here.
We aim to leave a lasting positive legacy – by protecting and enhancing the surrounding area and heritage while working towards delivering environmental improvements.
As a responsible neighbour, we are committed to working with the local community to understand their needs and priorities to help shape the proposals for developing the port of Port Talbot – to deliver real local benefits.
We also want to play our part in contributing to Wales and the UK’s net zero commitments. Developing the port of Port Talbot is also a part of ABP’s sustainability strategy, ‘Ready for Tomorrow’. The strategy sets out ABP’s plans to invest £2 billion into decarbonising our own operations by 2040, as well as supporting large-scale green energy infrastructure and industrial decarbonisation projects.
Timescales
We have ambitious timescales for delivering the development of the port at Port Talbot. We will be working closely with developers to understand their port requirements and are focused on working to the timescales of The Crown Estate’s Leasing Round 5 process.
Our ambition is to submit planning consent around summer 2025. Subject to the necessary consents being in place, we plan to undertake works associated with FLOWMIS during 2025/2026 and commence wider FLOW construction in 2027.
Our ambition is to ensure the port is ready to meet developer requirements towards the end of the decade.
Want to know more? Sign up for updates on our plans here
- Capitalising on the wider benefits of floating offshore wind, Future Port Talbot will be a catalyst for the transformation of the local supply chain.
- Future Port Talbot will prioritise local supply and SME procurement, to make a significant contribution to the local economy.
- Future Port Talbot has the potential to deliver transformational change for the port at Port Talbot, to make it a cleaner and greener area.
- Benefits will also reach the wider area, including into Swansea Bay, and will place Port Talbot at the centre of reimagining the role of coastal communities, in a new sustainable economy.
- Recognising that Port Talbot, and the wider South Wales region, have a strong and proud industrial heritage.
- Respecting that heritage and ensuring the project is delivered in a way that will protect and enhance the area’s identity.
- ABP plans to invest upwards of £500 million at Port Talbot, enabling the port as a base for floating offshore wind manufacturing, maintenance and operations.
- The FLOWMIS award, alongside our significant investment, will begin to unlock a projected £1 billion of investment in Port Talbot and the surrounding area.
- At its heart, the project will be delivered in collaboration with local people. There will be opportunities for the local community to support us and co-design the scheme.
- We are committed to working with the local community to maximise local investment opportunities and deliver a scheme that local people can be proud of.
- Future Port Talbot will also provide a significant boost to the local economy, providing new and exciting opportunities for local people.
- Future Port Talbot has the potential to attract billions of pounds of inward investment, creating long-term and skilled careers for local people.