Work could begin on the £25 million maritime training, research and business incubation hub proposed for the banks of the Mersey as soon as this summer, according to the industry body behind the project.

Mersey Maritime (www.merseymaritime.co.uk) is leading the Maritime Knowledge Hub project in Wirral Waters, with strategic partners Liverpool John Moores University, Wirral Council and Peel Group.

Focused on Liverpool city region’s £4 billion maritime sector, the facility will comprise up to 60,000ft² of incubation, teaching, R&D, training, commercial and cultural space; it will also house an Offshore Survival Training Centre.

The site could also play a key role in city region mayor Steve Rotheram’s plans for a £3.5 billion barrage across
the Mersey, which he says could provide power for 200,000 homes.

The location for the hub will be a Grade II-listed Victorian hydraulic tower in Wirral’s docklands; this is a copy of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, but it suffered bomb damage in World War II and is now derelict.

The Wirral Waters site will also be home to the Marine, Energy and Automotive Park (MEA Park) — a waterside manufacturing, logistics, R&D and assembly campus.

Chris Shirling-Rooke, chief executive of Mersey Maritime, said: “This will be a real game-changer, not just for the maritime sector but for the whole city region economy. Our local maritime sector is an industry powerhouse, with recognised world-class expertise, and it is now seen as the UK leader.

"The Maritime Knowledge Hub will ensure that we are at the forefront of innovation in technology, skills and business growth.”