£1m investment pushes forward Port of Blyth facility enhancement

Plans to enhance decommissioning facilities in Northumberland have been moved forward a step with a £1m investment.

The investment, which has been contributed by a partnership of Port of Blyth and Thomsons of Prudhoe, will enhance existing decommissioning facilities with new construction and drainage systems.

The companies announced in February that their new collaboration was to combine the onshore decommissioning and waste disposal experience of Thompsons of Prudhoe with the port location and offshore experience offered by Port of Blyth.

The enhancements at the open access facility include the construction of over one hectare of heavily reinforced impermeable concrete ground slabs and complex drainage system for surface water catchment and treatment.

Alan Todd, port director of Port of Blyth, commented: “We’re delighted to have been able to commence these works and look forward to hitting construction milestones in the coming weeks.

“With careful planning and strict guidelines in place we have been able to begin the work despite the obvious challenges presented by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”

John Thompson Snr MBE, chairman of Thompsons of Prudhoe, added: “We are delighted with the construction progress being made, especially during these challenging times.

“We look forward to supporting the offshore industry with their increasing demand for onshore dismantling and waste disposal services for 2020 and beyond.”

The expansion works are expected to be completed by the end of June with the facility remaining open for business throughout.