Plans laid for the world’s first tidal energy-powered deep sea container terminal
Centre Port Holdings, a UK-based marine and renewable energy infrastructure developer, has unveiled plans for a scheme that will use tidal energy to power a deep sea automated container terminal capable of processing between 1.5 and 4 million containers annually.
The first stages of development of a major tidal energy scheme in the Wash that incorporates the world’s first tidal powered deep sea container terminal as well as providing landside flood defenses for up to a million people have been announced by Centre Port Holding’s CEO James Sutcliffe.
The Wash is a rectangular bay and multiple estuary at the north-west corner of East Anglia on the east coast of England.
The zero carbon deep sea automated container terminal will be capable of processing between 1,500,000 and 4,000,000 containers annually, and is expected to be able to handle the world’s largest container ships, feeder services and roll on roll off vessels (Ro-Ro).
The proposal includes the construction of a hydro-electric structure within the project which will capture the incoming and out-going tides twice a day, providing entirely predictable energy for the terminal and up to 600,000 homes and businesses in the region.
Centre Port Holdings has agreed a strategic partnership with the UK’s leading energy company Centrica, which has invested into the seed round allowing Centre Port to engage environmental and technical consultancies to begin work on a feasibility study.
James Sutcliff said: “Centre Port is a multiple income generating development where decarbonizing the logistics chain is a priority in today’s world.
“Centre Port provides multiple business opportunities and a lower to zero carbon operation across the import and export chain, whilst also being 50% nearer the East and West Midlands it serves.
“It is well placed to drive new economic opportunities in Lincolnshire/ Norfolk and Cambridge, job creation and Levelling up in local communities that are otherwise reliant on the agricultural sector.
“The local environment is seriously at risk from climate change. Our mission is to retain the Wash boundaries, its wildlife and ecology and to minimize climate change impacts that could devastate these sensitive areas.”
