‘Soft start’ to Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility (LEEF) operations underway with Norside Supporter vessel call.
The Port of Lowestoft, the UK’s most easterly port, which is owned and operated by Associated British Ports (ABP), has achieved a significant milestone as it welcomed the first commercial vessel to the Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility (LEEF) on Tuesday 3 September. This signals another major step forward in the ongoing construction of the £35 million facility, designed to support the growing offshore energy industry in the Southern North Sea (SNS).
The Norside Supporter Walk to Work (W2W) vessel, chartered by ODE Asset Management (ODE AM), arrived from Aberdeen and berthed at the facility in order to embark 50 personnel for a two-week offshore campaign, supporting vital energy assets in the region. This inaugural vessel call marks the ‘soft start’ to operations at LEEF, setting the stage for full operational capacity in the near future.
Tom Duit, Operations Manager at ABP’s Port of Lowestoft, praised the seamless coordination that ensured the vessel’s safe and timely arrival: “This successful first call at LEEF is a testament to great teamwork. A particular thanks to Capt. Gary Horton and Jack Savage who piloted the vessel in today and the ABP Lowestoft marine team who provide professional and dedicated support to our customers at all times. For them, as for all of us, this was a very special day.”
“ODE Asset Management is a valued customer for ABP Lowestoft and has been operating within the port’s Inner Harbour for two years, working alongside Peterson. We look forward to continuing our strong relationship.”
Javier Escandon, LEEF Project Delivery Manager at ABP said: “Welcoming the Norside Supporter is an important milestone for the LEEF project, and a reflection of the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in its delivery.
“As we progress towards full operational capability, our focus remains on ensuring that both new and existing customers benefit from the extensive capabilities of this facility. We are particularly grateful to our contractors, McLaughlin & Harvey, for their continued efforts in delivering this project and for their support in accommodating this first vessel call safely and efficiently.”
The Norside Supporter’s arrival highlights LEEF’s potential to accommodate a wide range of vessels as it ramps up to being fully operational. The facility, which has been supported by the Town’s Fund, is poised to become a critical hub for the offshore energy sector, offering nearly 350 meters of quayside with 7.5m draft deep water berths and 6.5 acres of flexible space to support both current and future energy projects.
Marc Gater, Logistics and Resources Manager at ODE Asset Management said: “ODE AM is honoured that the Norside Supporter is the first commercial vessel to use LEEF. The scale, breadth and depth of the facility ensures ODE AM and our client partners, supported by the local supply chain, can continue to play a leading role in supporting the offshore industry, not just in East Anglia but across the UK as we transition to our net zero goals.”
Looking ahead, LEEF is set to further enhance its offering with the introduction of shoreside power and fuel bunkering services. These developments, along with the adaptable infrastructure, underscore ABP’s commitment to future-proofing the facility to meet both current and evolving industry demands.
For more information please contact:
Hannah Kitcher
Regional Communications Manager (ABP)
Mob: 07843 977827
Email: hannah.kitcher@abports.co.uk
Tim Morris
Head of Corporate Communications (ABP)
Mob: 07850 501903
Email: tim.morris@abports.co.uk
About ODE Asset Management Limited
ODE Asset Management (ODE AM) is an established and growing asset management, engineering, and operations support provider with a dedicated team of staff serving as installation operator (duty holder) and pipeline operator across a portfolio of offshore energy assets across the UKCS. As part of the DORIS Group, ODE AM’s services draw upon years of experience directly supporting the energy sector in the UKCS and our collective 50 years of experience in the wider oil and gas industry. ODE AM is committed to delivering on its own net zero ambitions and are actively working, alongside supply chain partners to endorse and contribute towards the energy transition and sustainable practices in line with our ESG commitments.
ODE AM’s operational offices are in; Aberdeen and Great Yarmouth.
About ABP East Anglia
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
