Andrew Harston, Strategic Advisor (ABP) and Paul Ager, Divisional Port Manager, East Anglia (ABP) cutting the ribbon on the LEEF site with the ABP and McLaughlin & Harvey Lowestoft team.
Photo credit: Steve Waller
ABP celebrates a major milestone in Lowestoft’s energy transition journey
Associated British Ports (ABP), the UK’s leading ports group, is delighted to announce the completion of its Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility (LEEF). The transformative £35 million infrastructure project, supported by the Town’s Fund, has officially been handed over by contractors McLaughlin & Harvey, marking a new era for Lowestoft – the UK’s most easterly port – and its role in the Southern North Sea (SNS) energy sector.
Purpose-built to meet the growing demands of the offshore energy industry, LEEF supports operations and maintenance (O&M) activities and construction phase requirements. This state-of-the-art infrastructure strengthens Lowestoft’s position as a key hub for offshore wind and energy markets, while creating significant opportunities for regional growth and sustainability.
Julian Walker, Chief Commercial Officer and Regional Director, Wales and Short Sea Ports, said: “LEEF is a pivotal development for Lowestoft and will help us to meet the growing demands of the offshore energy industry. Its completion marks a major milestone in the port’s evolution as a hub for supporting this vital industry and in ABP’s goal of enabling the energy transition.
“LEEF will build on the vital role the Port of Lowestoft is already playing in offshore wind, as the base port for SSE’s Greater Gabbard and SPR’s EA ONE wind farms. Its adaptable infrastructure will also ensure ABP’s readiness to support future projects such as Sizewell C and other emerging industries.
“We look forward to continuing to develop for the future in the region through supporting both existing and new projects with world-class facilities.”
Key features of LEEF include:
- 345m of quayside with three deep-water berths (7.5m draft), with capacity to accommodate Service Operation Vessels (SOVs) for uninterrupted operations at all tides.
- Up to 8 acres of operational and storage space, adaptable for covered and open storage, marshalling, and equipment laydown for O&M and future construction phases.
- Six Crew Transfer Vessels (CTV) berths, each equipped with utilities including water and power, with the infrastructure to add comms and bunkering.
- Future-proofed infrastructure to support alternative fuels and shore power, aligning with ABP’s commitment to sustainable operations.
Adrian Pollock, Operations Director, Civil Engineering from McLaughlin & Harvey added: "We are proud to have delivered this comprehensive port infrastructure upgrade project. Our civil engineering expertise in marine works and collaboration with ABP allowed us to design and deliver a new facility that will help ABP achieve their ambition of offering three berths and heavy lift capabilities for the growing offshore wind and energy sectors at Lowestoft."
