New aerial photographs show progress of £35m Lowestoft port

The Associated British Ports’ (ABP) Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility (LEEF) will be fully operational by October this year upon the completion of a major £35m redevelopment project.

The transformation of the port into an "offshore energy hub" will support both operations and maintenance activities and the construction of hundreds of new offshore wind turbines in the North Sea.

The aerial photographs show the progress made so far, which includes the dredging of three 7.5m-deep berth pockets, six pontoon berths, a 345m quayside and a surface drainage system.

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Associated British Ports’ (ABP) Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility (LEEF) will be fully operational by October this year (Image: McLaughlin & Harvey Ltd)

Paul Ager, ABP’s divisional port manager, said: “ABP is pleased to share the remarkable progress being made on the construction of the LEEF, which is on track to be operational from October 2024.

"The development of LEEF underscores ABP’s commitment to investing in the infrastructure necessary for the offshore energy sector and in particular for securing Lowestoft’s position as a leading hub for the offshore energy industry.

"This facility will significantly boost the capacity and efficiency of operations and maintenance activities, ensuring that we meet the evolving demands of this dynamic industry."

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The new CTV pontoon and dredger (Image: Associated British Ports)

The £35m investment into the project includes £2.4m from the previous government’s Towns Fund.

The current work includes the dredging of an approach channel and the installation of a new heavy lift pavement, alongside the construction of a fuel bund for storage and a new access road.