UK's Port of Barrow to benefit from major expansion

Associated British Ports (ABP) recently confirmed its expansion masterplan for the Port of Barrow, which is designed to drive growth and strengthen the local economy in response to a wave of significant investment coming to the region by 2040.

The masterplan sets out a number of core objectives. Under the first objective, which aims to help build Barrow’s capabilities in advanced engineering, ABP outlines how the port will respond to new demand created by the AUKUS deal, which will make it critical for the port to expand its capacity to support the manufacturing and shipping of submarine sections.

ABP has been working alongside BAE Systems to transfer land that will allow a major increase in BAE Systems’ production capacity.

Then, ABP will be working on the first major project from the masterplan – the Barrow EnergyDock – which will soon be going to public consultation. The project proposes a floating solar array in Cavendish Dock, which can generate up to 32 MWp of green electricity, enough to power the equivalent of 10,300 homes each year.

ABP also expects to provide facilities for the construction of new offshore wind farms. The company said the expansion of these facilities will ensure that Barrow remains a leading hub for wind energy.