ENERGY
Teesside’ s deep-water dock offers enormous advantages as the region contributes to the race for net zero
THE QUAY TO THE
FUTURE
Asset – Steel River Quay is a vital deep-water facility supporting the UK’ s offshore wind expansion.
From the steelworks to clean energy, Teesside’ s industrial heart is beating stronger than ever and leading the charge towards a net zero future. At the centre of this transformation is Steel River Quay, a cutting-edge facility that’ s not only supporting some of the world’ s largest offshore wind projects but also reaffirming Teesworks as the premier hub for renewable energy infrastructure.
As global competition for offshore wind dominance ramps up, the Tees Valley is staking its claim through innovation, investment and an unmatched strategic location.
Strategic importance One of the key bottlenecks in offshore wind expansion is the availability of technically suitable and well-connected freeports.
The deployment of offshore wind turbines requires quays with deep-water access, extensive storage and heavy-lift capabilities to handle and store large monopiles, turbines and other vital components.
England’ s east coast has a limited number of deep-water ports capable of handling offshore wind infrastructure at scale. This is where Steel River Quay, part of the Teesworks site, comes into its own.
The product of a two-year build and around £ 114m of investment, Steel River Quay is equipped to address the challenges of the offshore wind industry head-on.
Offering a depth of at least 13.6 metres at any state of the tide and 450 metres long, it can accommodate two of the largest offshore wind installation vessels simultaneously.
The quay’ s heavy-lift platform, rated at 30 tonnes per square metre, ensures it can support the demands of the industry’ s biggest players.
A deep-water quay is just one of the ingredients needed for success in the offshore renewable energy
Shipment – Steel River Quay’ s heavy-lift infrastructure enables the handling of massive offshore wind components.
sector – while it offers the opportunity for loading and unloading at speed, what happens to those components while they are not on board?
Large-scale, secure storage is crucial to offshore wind operators in order to reduce ship journey numbers and hence keep costs down.
Garry O’ Malley, chairman at Steel River Quay, said:“ Steel River Quay is a standout facility and unique to the east coast of England, not just for its deep-water capabilities and heavy lift technology, but also its expansive storage areas and access to an additional 500 acres of land via the South Bank Link Road.
“ The quay will be a major strategic facility for the North Sea offshore wind industry over the next few decades.”
36 | Tees Business