North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has congratulated the Port of Mostyn in the Senedd this afternoon for the opportunities its recently announced expansion will create for the area, and asked the First Minister what consideration she has given to supporting Mostyn and surrounding areas as a hub for marine energy and engineering.
It was recently announced that the Flintshire port is to create 300 new jobs with a major expansion to cater for the offshore wind industry.
In a question to the First Minister in today’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament on Welsh Government support for the green industry in Delyn, Mr. Isherwood spoke of the Port of Mostyn’s plans and the need for local communities to be involved.
He said:
“The port of Mostyn and its tenacious Managing Director, Jim, who is known to many of us, are to be congratulated on their announcement of a new berth to cater for the next generation of larger floating offshore wind turbines and of their purchase of the adjoining former Warwick International site, as we've heard, creating opportunities for investment, growth and jobs.
“Of course, energy security requires sustainable back-up for weather-based energy. The new HyNet Carbon Capture Pipeline, critical to the plans of the Parc Adfer Energy-from-Waste facility at Deeside Industrial Park, of the Cement works in Padeswood and of the Connah's Quay Low-Carbon Power Station project, will run to nearby Talacre beach.
“The Port of Mostyn has also led calls for a tidal lagoon stretching from Mostyn to Point of Ayr in Flintshire. Further, Pembroke Dock is hosting both floating offshore wind turbines and a green hydrogen facility, powered by renewable energy sources, for the transport and construction industries.
“What consideration have you therefore given to supporting Mostyn and surrounding areas as a hub for marine energy and engineering? And critically, how will you ensure involvement and benefit for local communities?
Responding, the First Minister said:
“I am delighted to see that development, and I look forward to meeting this Jim - he sounds like an absolute legend, up there in the port of Mostyn - because part of what he's interested in doing is assembling the fabrication and assembling of wind turbine structures and the supporting services, and that is something I know that you, Mark, also welcome.
“You talked about the HyNet project, and of course that's a cross-border project, which is being worked along with the Deeside Decarbonisation Forum. I think these are really important developments and it has real potential for the development of hydrogen hubs across north Wales.”