News

Marine partners warmly welcome £60m deal for Pembrokeshire

Published

6 years ago

June 17, 2020

Photo credit: J Abbott

LAST week’s Swansea Bay City Deal announcement is welcomed by Pembroke Dock Marine’s partners, the Port of Milford Haven, Marine Energy Wales, ORE Catapult, and Wave Hub Limited, and is also supported by Pembrokeshire County Council. It secures £60m for Pembrokeshire with £28m from Swansea Bay City Deal and the remainder part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government and private sector investment.

The funding will be used to establish a world-class marine energy and engineering centre of excellence for the design, test, build and deployment of marine energy devices, as well as having application across other blue and green industries. From its home on the Milford Haven Waterway, Pembroke Dock Marine will bring together access to energy source, a high-skill supply chain and a new array of services and spaces that will help developers drive down the cost of marine sourced energy through maximised innovation and operational efficiency.

The four partners will each deliver a different project element. The Port of Milford Haven will deliver modernised port facilities to support the industrial growth. ORE Catapult will deliver a Marine Energy and Engineering Centre of Excellence (MEECE) to drive research and innovation, Marine Energy Wales will create pre-consented Marine Energy Test Areas (META) within the Waterway for testing component and scale devices, and Wave Hub Ltd will deliver the Pembrokeshire Demonstration Zone (PDZ) a consented and grid connected offshore test site.

Pembroke Dock Marine’s immediate focus will be to support the growth of the floating wind, wave and tidal technologies exploring opportunities off the Welsh coastline. With net zero targets in sight and the potential to drive a new export industry, Pembroke Dock Marine will add value to the UK economic and environmental goals. It will position the region to capture a significant share of this global market.

Jess Hooper, Marine Energy Programme Manager for Marine Energy Wales, said “META is well on its way to becoming Wales’ national test centre and will ultimately consist of a series of eight pre-consented, non-grid connected test areas in the Milford Haven Waterway. With Phase 1 test areas already providing a haven for marine energy, META enables marine renewable energy device developers to deploy, de-risk and develop from their components to their devices in a relatively sheltered yet still representative ocean environment. As part of the broader PDM project, META looks forward to contributing to the blue economy opportunities this exciting project brings to Pembrokeshire and the continued development of Pembrokeshire as a world class centre for marine energy.”

Dr Stephen Wyatt, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult’s Research & Innovation Director, said “This approval is extremely welcome, enabling us to go full steam ahead with the work of our Marine Energy Engineering Centre of Excellence and establish our longer term presence in the region. We are now formally engaging with our academic partners – the universities of Swansea, Cardiff, Bangor and Cardiff Metropolitan. The breadth and depth of their research activity perfectly complements the industrial sector expertise and market knowledge of ORE Catapult. Working with Welsh innovators and supply chain companies, MEECE will demonstrate and validate new products, technologies and processes in marine energy, providing ongoing innovation support to reduce costs and risks as these products mature towards commercialisation, something which, drawing on the Catapult’s existing
expertise and those of our partners, MEECE is well-placed to provide.”

Steve Jermy, Executive Chair of Wave Hub Ltd said “This is a significant milestone in the
Pembrokeshire Demonstration Zone project, which will catalyse the establishment of a Welsh centre for low carbon, offshore, energy production. We are excited to be working with our partners to develop strategically enabling infrastructure to accelerate the development of Welsh offshore renewable energy, to support future energy generating technologies and generate green electricity from the sea. Moving forward, we are very much looking forward to welcoming new staff, based in Pembroke Dock, into the Wave Hub project development team.”

Andy Jones, Chief Executive at the Port of Milford Haven, said “This is a landmark decision for Pembrokeshire, made possible by the Swansea Bay City Region and the European Regional Development Fund. Alongside a significant investment by the Port, the Swansea Bay City Deal will support the modernisation of our port infrastructure to ensure developers can operate with maximum efficiency allowing them to drive down the cost of energy and help reach net zero targets.

We also recognise the value to other industries and the role this project will play in encouraging further collaborations and innovations within the region. We see this as a significant step forward and we look forward to working with developers as they explore the benefits of this new base. And, in turn, we welcome the positive impact this new and exciting industry will have on Pembrokeshire’s economy and employment opportunities.”

Cllr David Simpson, Leader of Pembrokeshire Council, said: “The impact of Covid-19 has further heightened the importance of Pembroke Dock Marine, so the project’s approval is very welcome news for Pembrokeshire’s residents and businesses. Worth £73.5 million a year, Pembroke Dock Marine will also make our economy more resilient in future by transforming Pembrokeshire and the City Region as a whole into a global example of best practice for zero carbon, marine energy innovation. This project will place Pembrokeshire and the City Region at the heart of a growing global industry, helping further raise the region’s profile as a place to do business and invest in.”

Climate

Blue sea creatures wash up on Welsh beaches including Tenby

Published

3 hours ago

June 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

VISITORS to Welsh beaches have been warned not to touch unusual blue sea creatures which have washed ashore along parts of the coastline.

Hundreds of velella velella, commonly known as by-the-wind sailors, have been reported on beaches in Anglesey, Gwynedd and Tenby.

The small, bright blue marine creatures are free-floating hydrozoans and are related to Portuguese man o’ war, sea anemones and corals.

They get their name from a small sail-like structure on their body, which catches the wind and carries them across the surface of the sea.

One was spotted on Tenby South Beach on Tuesday (Jun 16), where beachgoer Maxine Allinson described it as “fantastic” and “like a crystal”.

Marine experts say the creatures are often seen after changes in currents or stormy weather, which can push large numbers ashore at the same time.

Although they are much smaller and less dangerous than Portuguese man o’ war, they do have stinging cells.

Their sting is usually mild, but people are being advised not to pick them up, especially as contact with the face, lips or sensitive skin could cause pain or tingling.

Experts also warn that the stinging cells can remain active even after the creatures appear to be dead on the beach.

The advice is to admire them from a safe distance and leave them where they are.

Caption: Maxine Allinson spotted a velella velella on Tenby South beach Tuesday

Local Government

Mayor to hold drop-in session for Haverfordwest residents

Published

3 hours ago

June 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

HAVERFORDWEST residents will have the chance to raise ideas, concerns and local issues directly with the town’s mayor this week.

Cllr Randell Izaiah Thomas-Turner will hold a Talk to Your Mayor session on Thursday, from 12:00pm until 2:00pm.

The initiative is aimed at giving residents an opportunity to speak directly with the mayor about matters affecting the town and wider community.

Cllr Thomas-Turner said communication and engagement were “vital”, adding that the session was about listening to local people, working together, and ensuring every voice had the opportunity to be heard.

Anyone wishing to book an appointment is asked to contact the Haverfordwest Town Council town clerk.

The mayor said: “Together, we can continue building a stronger and more connected community. Together we can make Haverfordwest the best in the west.”

News

Senedd rejects Reform call to end Welsh Government international spending

Published

5 hours ago

June 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

THE SENEDD has rejected a Reform UK motion calling for an end to all Welsh Government international spending, after a heated debate which saw several Members walk out of the chamber.

The motion, tabled by Reform MS Llŷr Powell, was defeated by 48 votes to 37 on Wednesday (Jun 17).

An amended motion, backing Wales’ reputation as an “internationalist, tolerant and outward-looking nation”, was then passed by the same margin.

The debate followed warnings from Hub Cymru Africa and other campaigners that ending international spending would damage Wales’ global reputation and undermine projects linking Welsh communities with partners overseas.

Reform argued that Welsh Government money should be focused on domestic pressures, including the NHS, schools, transport and the cost of living.

Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar backed the Reform motion, saying foreign relations and international development were matters for the UK Government rather than Cardiff Bay.

But Plaid Cymru and Welsh Government speakers rejected that argument, saying Wales’ international work supported trade, public services, education, health partnerships and the country’s reputation abroad.

The debate became heated after comments by Reform MS Joe Martin, who criticised overseas schemes including beekeeping and tree-planting projects in Uganda.

Several MSs left the Siambr during his contribution, with the Llywydd later urging Members to reflect on the tone of the debate.

Hub Cymru Africa had said before the vote that Wales’ international solidarity budget represented a tiny fraction of overall spending and helped deliver work in public health, climate action, women’s empowerment and sustainable development.

The organisation said the vote was an opportunity for the Senedd to reaffirm Wales’ place in the world.