The Celtic Freeport has agreed £18.4m in seed capital funding for four projects. The investment will support new infrastructure, unlock development and help attract further private-sector investment across the freeport, which covers the ports of Milford Haven and Port Talbot.
Approved projects and allocations
The approved projects are:
- £5m towards a scheme from Associated British Ports to unlock 9.1 hectares for the floating offshore wind supply chain at Talbot Wharf in Port Talbot.
- £4.2m towards an £8.4m scheme from Neath Port Talbot Council to deliver six business units at the Waterside Innovation Park at Port Talbot’s harbourside.
- £7.2m towards the first phase of a development that will restore marine infrastructure, provide additional berthing and create 1.7 hectares of laydown space for floating offshore wind at Criterion Quay at Pembroke Port (which comes under the Port of Milford Haven Authority).
- £2m to improve marine access and support floating offshore wind component fabrication and handling at Ledwood Quayside at Pembroke Dock.
Official reactions
Chris Martin, chair of the Celtic Freeport, said: “Approval of this seed capital funding marks a major step forward for Celtic Freeport. These four projects will deliver the infrastructure needed to unlock investment, support high-quality jobs and accelerate economic growth across south west Wales.
“We are now moving from planning into delivery, working with our partners to turn the Freeport’s ambitions into tangible benefits for businesses and communities.”
Secretary of State for Wales, Stephen Kinnock, said: “This is a significant moment for the development of the Celtic Freeport which will cement south west Wales as a hub of the industries of the future.
“The UK Government’s investment in Wales’s two freeports (the other being the Anglesey Freeport) will deliver thousands of new jobs, drive opportunity and generate economic growth into the future.”
Welsh Government Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, Adam Price, said: “Economic growth depends on having the right infrastructure in the right places. These projects will help unlock sites for investment, support the development of new industries and strengthen Wales’s position in the growing clean energy economy.
“Closing Wales’s productivity gap with the rest of the UK will require exactly this kind of targeted investment, helping to attract private capital, create skilled jobs and deliver long-term benefits for communities across Port Talbot and Pembrokeshire. The approval marks the move from ambition to delivery, and I look forward to seeing these projects helping to drive growth across the Celtic Freeport.”
Funding details and next steps
The seed capital funding is being provided by the UK Government through the freeport programme in Wales. The funding awards remain subject to the agreement of grant conditions and completion of the necessary funding arrangements, including monitoring, assurance and clawback provisions.
The Celtic Freeport is a public-private sector partnership led by Associated British Ports, Neath Port Talbot and Pembrokeshire councils and the Port of Milford Haven.
