Menu

Introduction

The Offshore Energy Alliance (OEA) cluster geography stretches across the North West of UK from Cumbria to North Wales, with Merseyside at the core of the OEA region. The OEA is supported in Merseyside by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA), Liverpool City Region Growth Platform, and Mersey Maritime who provide local authority and industry partner promotion and hosting of OEA activity.

Liverpool City Region is the modern Metropolitan area name for Merseyside which is made up of six Local Authority boroughs: Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St. Helens and Wirral. Liverpool City Region is a coastal city, with an extensively developed port north of the city centre.

 

Net Zero Ambition

There is a regional ambition to attain Net Zero by 2040 and a Pathway document outlining the concepts and challenges of decarbonisation was published in January 2022 .

 

Liverpool City Region Freeport

The Liverpool City Region also benefits from Freeport Status which will be a designated area where a range of economic incentives will be available, including customs, business rates, planning, regeneration, innovation and trade and investment support.

It is estimated that the creation of a multi-gateway, multi-modal Freeport will contribute around £850m GVA, create 14,000 jobs. It will enable key sites across the Liverpool City Region to attract new investment, increase levels of innovation, as well as lead on solutions to meet the region’s Net Zero Carbon targets for 2040. Some sites are suitable for renewable energy component manufacturing and assembly.

 

Offshore Wind Construction and Operations Experience

Liverpool was one of only 6 government-designated UK places with Centre for Offshore Renewable Engineering (CORE Status), and the only one on the UK West Coast. The region has the current expertise to provide support to the marine and offshore sector from a variety of organisations and facilities including;

  • The National Oceanography Centre (NOC)
  • Liverpool Institute for Sustainable Coasts & Oceans (LISCO)
  • The British Oceanographic Data Centre (BODC)
  • The Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) Maritime Centre
  • Cammell Laird Shipyard
  • Various facilities across Liverpool, Birkenhead, Garston and Manchester Ship Canal

The Mersey is also the base for Orsted who have a service and operations base for Burbo Bank and Burbo Bank extension offshore wind farms, at Seacombe, Birkenhead.

 

Liverpool City Region Growth Platform

The Growth Platform is Liverpool City Region’s growth company, designed to support people and businesses to realise their potential and generate growth. Our role is to strengthen and simplify our business landscape, creating a sustainable economy that reflects the needs of our community.

The Growth Platform prioritise six thematic areas (as below) within Liverpool City Region and can help with inward investment and relocation related to renewables and green energy

  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Clean Growth
  • Digital and Creatives
  • Health and Life Sciences
  • Professional and Business Services
  • Visitor Economy

 

Mersey Maritime

Mersey Maritime is the award-winning regional cluster organisation for the maritime industry in the Liverpool City Region and the greater North West. Their mission is to continue to be a catalyst for growth, influencing policy and driving change for the good of the sector.

Mersey Maritime was conceived almost twenty years ago to create an ecosystem, championing and supporting one of the most diverse maritime regions in the UK. Created as a not for profit organisation with more than 200 active members, we span more than 33 sub-sectors of maritime and its related supply chain including ports, shipping, offshore, engineering, professional services, logistics, manufacturing and academia.

Mersey Maritime enable specialised support and networking to OEA and help promote the regional capabilities to support ongoing development.