Associated British Ports (ABP), the UK’s largest port operator, and Clarksons Port Services (CPS), a global leader in shipping agency services, are pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This strategic agreement aims to explore an expanded partnership between the two companies at ABP’s new state-of-the-art Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility (LEEF), which is currently under construction and near completion.
ABP and Clarksons Port Services have enjoyed a long-standing and fruitful relationship at ABP’s Port of Lowestoft and this MoU builds on that and sets the stage for an expanded relationship at LEEF.
The MoU outlines the framework for ABP and CPS to work together to leverage the potential of LEEF, a £35m investment by ABP and supported by the Town’s Fund. LEEF has been designed to accommodate the evolving demands of the offshore energy industry, including operations and maintenance (O&M) and construction support activities. It is also capable of supporting other seaborne trades, such as aggregate and project cargoes for the civil engineering and nuclear industries, notably Sizewell C.
Paul Ager, Divisional Port Manager, ABP said: “The LEEF project is a testament to ABP’s commitment to investing in the infrastructure required to support the offshore energy sector. With 345m of quayside equipped with three 7.5m draft deep-water berths with direct supply of fuel, water and power, six CTV berths and up to six acres of operational and storage land, the facilities it offers are unrivalled.”
The MoU also celebrates the longstanding partnership between ABP and CPS, which reached a milestone in 2023 with the celebration of 25 years of collaboration at ABP’s Port of Ipswich. Both companies are excited about the prospect of extending this successful partnership through LEEF, further strengthening their presence in the UK’s maritime and energy sectors.
David Rumsey, Clarksons Port Services Managing Director commented: “This is a significant step forward in aligning our support for the development of LEEF to strengthen Lowestoft’s infrastructure for renewable energy. It will enhance CPS’ capacity to serve its clients in the growing offshore wind sector, bringing economic benefits and opportunities to Lowestoft as the port evolves into a key hub for the energy sector in the Southern North Sea.”
The LEEF project is set to position Lowestoft as a critical hub for the offshore energy industry, offering the infrastructure necessary to support the region’s growth and sustainability efforts. ABP’s investment in LEEF underscores the strategic importance of Lowestoft in the broader context of the UK’s energy landscape, and the signing of the MoU with Clarksons Port Services marks a significant step forward in realising this vision.
For more information please contact:
Hannah Kitcher
Regional Communications Manager
Mob: 07843 977827
Email: hannah.kitcher@abports.co.uk
Tim Morris
Head of Corporate Communications
Mob: 07850 501903
Email: tim.morris@abports.co.uk
About Clarksons Port Services
Clarksons Port Services (CPS) is dedicated to supporting marine and port operations with over 50 years’ experience, we have established ourselves as a key member of the supply chain delivering Integrated Logistics Management services. Our 23 office locations cover ports in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Netherlands.
CPS provides a 24/7/365 integrated service through the provision of Port Agency, Customs Clearance & Consultancy, Vessel Chartering, Crew Change Coordination, Helicopter Operations, Freight Forwarding, Project Logistics, Warehousing & Storage, Bunker Supply, Quayside Logistics Management, Supply Chain Management, Tooling & Supplies and Safety & Survival Equipment.
About Clarkson PLC
Clarkson PLC is the world’s leading provider of integrated services and investment banking capabilities to the shipping and offshore markets, facilitating global trade.
Founded in 1852, Clarksons offers its diverse and growing client base an unrivalled range of shipbroking services, sector research, on-hand logistical support and full investment banking capabilities in all key shipping and offshore sectors. Clarksons continues to drive innovation across its business, developing digital solutions which underpin the Group’s unrivalled expertise and knowledge with leading technology.
The Group employs over 2,000 people in 56 different offices across its four divisions and is number one or two in all its market segments.
The Company has delivered 21 years of consecutive dividend growth. The highly cash-generative nature of the business, supported by a strong balance sheet, has enabled Clarksons to continue to invest to position the business to capitalise on opportunities in its markets.
Clarksons is listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange under the ticker CKN and is a member of the FTSE 250 Index.
Links:
•Clarksons.com
•Full services video: https://f.io/YOTnSZfH
•Offshore Energy Services video: https://vimeo.com/893691961
•LinkedIn: Clarksons Port Services
About ABP East Ang
With the support of its customers, ABP’s East Anglian ports of King’s Lynn, Lowestoft and Ipswich contribute a total of £360 million to the UK economy every year, supporting 3,700 jobs in the region and 5,300 jobs nationally.
•ABP’s East Anglian ports handle more than 3 million tonnes of cargo every year, which includes 2 million tonnes of agribulks and 170,000 tonnes of timber.
•The Port of Ipswich is the UK’s leading export port for agricultural products.
•The Port of Lowestoft has emerged as the East of England’s Renewable Energy Hub, offering expert teams and the right facilities to accommodate complex demands.
•The Port of Lowestoft is home to the Operations and Maintenance Base for the Greater Gabbard Offshore Windfarm, which is a 504MW windfarm.
•The Port of King’s Lynn has played a pivotal role in enabling the completion of a range of key infrastructure projects in the area including the Palm Paper Power Station and the Centrica gas plant.
About ABP (www.abports.co.uk)
ABP is the UK’s leading ports group. We proudly serve our customers and our communities in the pursuit of our ambitious missions which are ‘Keeping Britain Trading’ and ‘Enabling the Energy Transition’. These are underpinned by a strong commitment to safety, sustainability and our people.
Our network of 21 ports handles ~ one quarter of the UK’s seaborne trade, and ~ £157 billion of UK trade annually. Our ports include Immingham, the UK’s largest port by tonnage, and Southampton, the nation’s number one export port, handling £40 billion of UK exports each year. ABP is an essential partner for the Offshore Wind industry, providing Operations and Maintenance (O&M) for over 50% of the sector’s activity, as well as building infrastructure in facilities like Green Port Hull, a joint investment with SGRE, the largest Offshore Wind blade manufacturer, and LEEF (Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility).
ABP is delivering on its green ambitions through decarbonising its operations, supporting customers in building more sustainable supply chains, and investing in infrastructure to realise future renewable energy generation. Since 2014, it has reduced its CO2 emissions by over 38%.
ABP’s vast freehold bank and ports are ready to support the drive towards achieving the nation’s target of net zero emissions by 2050.
The group’s other activities include:
ABP Property: Property division, with an unrivalled land bank spanning 21 multi-modal locations around the country, and 960 hectares of port-based development land.
ABPmer: Marine consultancy and survey company, with over 70 years of experience, providing specialist marine consultancy services.
UK Dredging: Port maintenance and dredging service.
Beacon Marina Collection: The Beacon Marina Collection is made up of three marinas owned and operated by ABP: Ipswich, Lowestoft and Fleetwood.
Our ports are: Ayr, Barrow, Barry, Cardiff, Fleetwood, Garston, Goole, Grimsby, Hull, Immingham, Ipswich, King’s Lynn, Lowestoft, Newport, Plymouth, Port Talbot, Silloth, Southampton, Swansea, Teignmouth and Troon
