Harwich (Bathside Bay)

Bathside Bay Harwich

Harwich (Bathside Bay)

Freeport East Harwich is a 130-hectare expansion of existing port facilities, perfectly located for the offshore wind industry including manufacturing, assembly and installation.

Freeport East Harwich, working in conjunction with Harwich International and Port of Felixstowe, creates an unrivalled ports and logistics hub for offshore and green energy projects.
The East of England Energy Zone has been critical to the nation’s energy mix for over 50 years and is leading the drive to net zero. The 122-hectare site at Harwich is uniquely positioned for the development of a green energy hub. It will support large-scale manufacturing and marshalling of offshore wind turbines and components to serve the UK and overseas offshore wind market. The port is also home to the RWE’s O&M base for the Galloper windfarm.

Freeport East Harwich has unique advantages:

  • The region already has the largest installed offshore wind capacity in the UK, and energy from local offshore wind and new nuclear sources at Sizewell and Bradwell will drive the development of the Hydrogen Hub, and potential for pink hydrogen.
  • Freeport East Harwich is the Southern UK Offshore Wind Port of Choice. Harwich International Port is one of the UK’s leading multi-purpose freight and passenger ports, with superb road and rail links to the Midlands, London and the South East.
  • There is little competition on the South and South East coast for dedicated deep water offshore wind facilities. This offers a significant opportunity for Freeport East, given Harwich can host sheltered deep water with up to 1.4km of new quays for heavy lift vessels, jack-ups, barges, and work boats.
  • Direct access to the North Sea market in UK and European waters giving unmatched scale of opportunity for both fixed and floating offshore wind projects.
  • Optimal combination of water depth (15m), quay length (1400m) and land availability of all UK ports and uniquely located to support the estimated £155 billion investment in UK fixed-bottom and floating offshore wind farms between 2022-30.
  • Large scale manufacture, assembly and marshalling of offshore wind turbines, turbine towers, nacelles, monopile and jacket foundations, substations and blades. Freeport Customs Model gives added financial advantage for serving all offshore markets.
  • Up to 45 acres of land available suitable for design and development activities, shore to ship and ship to ship handling, and personnel management.
  • Adjacent to centres of excellence and innovation networks associated with the wider East Coast Clean Energy Cluster, already serving the operations and maintenance market of existing UK windfarms estimated at £1.3 billion per annum by 2030.