Growth zone backing from Humber Marine & Renewables
Humber Marine and Renewables is backing a new bid to create a Humber Estuary Growth Zone – ensuring stronger co-ordination and advocacy for the vital economic entity.
With regional devolution close to being completed as May’s mayoral elections near – with separate combined authorities created north and south of the estuary – the initiative from the Northern Powerhouse Partnership has been fully endorsed.
In a joint statement, the directors of Humber Marine and Renewables said: “Grimsby’s excellence in operations and maintenance and Hull’s emergence as a key manufacturing and assembly/load-out location – both supporting the huge offshore wind industry – are sources of real pride. With Immingham as the jewel in the UK ports sector, Goole’s inland advantages and our smaller wharves and quaysides contributing alongside our renowned marine engineering capability, unity is vital around what drives our economy.
“We know from our internationally significant conference, Offshore Wind Connections, that almost two decades of activity in this burgeoning strand of the Energy Estuary’s credentials – securing the region as a world leader once again – has provided a platform for potential to pioneer the entire Net Zero agenda. We must not let this slip.
“Humber Marine & Renewables is delighted to see members as signatories to the letter that has been sent to all mayoral candidates contesting both seats, with immediate membership of the Council of Nations and Regions promised.
“We have already worked with Humber Energy Board to address criticisms of North Sea offshore wind from the US earlier this year, and now stand shoulder-to-shoulder on our patch too as a leading organisation behind this bid.
“A Humber Estuary Growth Zone would allow the region to further capitalise on the Humber Freeport’s potential and present a unified proposition to global investors. We also welcome a proposed Invest Humber Estuary body to oversee infrastructure improvements and strengthen the skills pipeline for industries such vital to our sector and others.”
Henri Murison, chief executive of Northern Powerhouse Partnership, is joined by Andrew Dawes, Humber director, Associated British Ports; Chris Smith, founder and CEO, Meld Energy; Richard Gwilliam UK BECCS programme director, Drax Group Plc and chair, Humber Energy Board; Peter Stephenson executive chairman, Able UK Ltd; Dave Petley, vice chancellor, University of Hull; Ian Aldous, UK North director, Mace Group; Paul Fursey lead executive UK Humber Refinery general manager, Phillips 66; Richard Jones, northern cities executive, Arcadis; Suzanne Lowe, vice president, Air Products Plc; Nikki West, senior vice president HR for Corporate Services and Head of Global Talent, Smith-Nephew; Darren Davidson, vice president, Siemens Energy & Siemens Gamesa UK & Ireland; Rob Fergie, Hull site manager, Ineos Acetyls; Peter Munk, CEO and director, Willerby Ltd; Mark Peason-Kendall, managing partner, Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP and Jonathan Briggs, director of development and delivery, VPI as signatories.
For more information about the initiative click here: