Ørsted Hornsea 3 backs green energy growth at Port of Tyne

Matt Beeton, Port of Tyne; Jason Ledden, Ørsted; Craig Morton, Port of Tyne; and Kim McGuinness, North East Mayor

Ørsted has signed a lease agreement for up to 100,000m² at the Port of Tyne’s Tyne Clean Energy Park in South Shields, marking a major milestone in the development of Hornsea 3, which is set to become the world’s largest single offshore wind farm. The site will be used to marshal secondary steel components before they are loaded onto Cadeler’s Wind Orca, a ‘state of the art’ jack-up vessel, for installation 160km off the Yorkshire coast.

Hornsea 3 is a £8.5 billion infrastructure project that will generate 2.9GW of clean energy — enough to power more than three million UK homes. Denmark-headquartered Ørsted is leading the development, with construction expected to be completed by 2027. The project is not only a significant step forward in renewable energy but also a catalyst for regional economic growth and job creation.

Jason Ledden, Ørsted’s senior project director for Hornsea 3, said: “The construction of Hornsea 3 will greatly improve energy security for the UK, as well as bringing investment into the local and national economy. This means home-grown clean power, skilled jobs and economic growth. Ørsted’s vision is to create a world that runs entirely on ‘green’ energy and the dedication of skilled workers all over the UK, including at the Port of Tyne, will help make that happen.”

Driving economic growth
Matt Beeton, Port of Tyne’s CEO, said: “Ørsted’s decision to base its marshalling operations at the Port of Tyne marks another significant milestone for the North East. It represents a clear vote of confidence in the infrastructure, skills and capabilities we have developed at the Tyne Clean Energy Park. This partnership is not only about delivering clean energy — it is about securing international investment, driving economic growth and creating the highly skilled jobs that will sustain our communities for generations, anchored by our best-in-class offshore wind base.”

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness added: “We are making the North East the home of the green energy revolution, and investments like this from Ørsted are a major vote of confidence in the people of the North East, their skills and commitment. There is nowhere better to access the North Sea and offshore wind industry than the North East and paired with the sector leading facilities and capabilities of our skilled Ports and workers, we are making our region the best place to invest and drive forward on our green energy ambitions.”

Ørsted is working with a range of industry-leading partners to deliver the 197 offshore wind turbines required for Hornsea 3. Severfield and Smulders, both located on the River Tyne, will fabricate and supply secondary steel components, further embedding the project within the UK’s industrial supply chain. The Port of Tyne’s deep berths and round-the-clock operational capacity make it a strategic hub for the logistics required to support this landmark renewable energy development.