£18.4m Freeport funding approved for south‑west Wales ports
Four port projects in south‑west Wales receive £18.4 million to boost offshore wind infrastructure and create new business units, supporting regional growth.
£18.4 million of UK Government Freeport funding has been approved for four port‑related projects in south‑west Wales, aimed at bolstering the floating offshore wind supply chain.
The awards, made through the Celtic Freeport programme, cover upgrades at Port Talbot and three sites in Pembrokeshire, each subject to grant conditions and final funding agreements.
The largest share – £7.2 million – will go to the Criterion Quay scheme at the Port of Milford Haven, where the first phase will restore marine infrastructure, add berthing capacity and create 1.7 hectares for storing and handling floating offshore wind equipment.
Associated British Ports will receive £5 million for a Talbot Wharf development in Port Talbot, freeing 9.1 hectares for businesses that supply the offshore wind sector.
Neath Port Talbot Council’s Harbourside project has been allocated £4.2 million, contributing to an £8.4 million plan to build six new business units at the Waterside Innovation Park.
Ledwood’s quayside upgrade in Pembroke Dock will be funded with £2 million to improve water‑side access and support the manufacture and handling of floating offshore wind components.
All four schemes are designed to prepare sites and infrastructure for private investment, with the aim of attracting further capital into the region.
Celtic Freeport chair Chris Martin said: “These four projects will deliver the infrastructure needed to unlock investment, support high‑quality jobs and accelerate economic growth across south west Wales.”
He added: “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.”
Welsh Government Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy Adam Price said the investment would help address the gap in productivity between Wales and the rest of the UK.
“Economic growth depends on having the right infrastructure in the right places,” he said. “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.”
Welsh Secretary Stephen Kinnock highlighted the broader impact of the freeport programme, stating: “The UK Government’s investment in Wales’s two freeports will deliver thousands of new jobs, drive opportunity and generate economic growth into the future.”
The Celtic Freeport is a public‑private partnership involving Associated British Ports, Neath Port Talbot Council, Pembrokeshire County Council and the Port of Milford Haven.
Its wider strategic plan covers floating offshore wind, hydrogen, sustainable fuels, carbon capture and storage, cleaner steel production and lower‑carbon freight transport.
Projections for the overall freeport programme suggest it could attract £8.4 billion of investment and create around 11,500 jobs, although those figures relate to the broader initiative rather than the four newly funded projects.
Funding will be monitored closely, with mechanisms in place to recover money if grant conditions are not met, ensuring that public resources are directed toward delivering the promised infrastructure and economic benefits.