Gareth Price

Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee

National Assembly for Wales

Cardiff Bay

Cardiff

CF99 1NA

 

14th March, 2018

 

RE: Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee: Inquiry into Enterprise Zones

 

Dear Gareth,

 

The Port of Milford Haven (“the Port” or “Milford Haven”) welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee’s inquiry into Wales’ eight enterprise zones, their success to date and their future development. 


The Port believes there is an opportunity to “super-charge” the nation’s enterprise zones, in line with the Economic Action Plan, the Marine Plan for Wales and in readiness for a post-Brexit business environment. This would boost regional development, business growth and trade.

 

About the Port of Milford Haven 

The Port of Milford Haven is Wales’ largest port and Britain’s largest energy port. It is an independent commercial business providing marine and port services and facilities to its customers. In 2017, approximately 32.1 million tonnes of cargo passed through the Port, comprising principally crude oil, fuel products and liquefied natural gas. The Port also owns and operates south Wales’ largest ferry port — Pembroke Dock Ferry Terminal — handling around 70,000 freight units and 350,000 passenger movements each year.


The Haven Waterway constitutes the UK’s single largest cluster of energy related businesses, handling or processing approximately 20% of the UK’s energy requirements and supporting 5,000 jobs in Wales.

 

The Port of Milford Haven also owns Pembroke Port and Milford Waterfront:

·         At Pembroke Port it is leading the way in engagement with the wave, tidal and floating wind renewable energy sector. The Port is partnering with other key organisations to develop a powerful, world class industry with year-round operations by providing a well-resourced base.  The aim is to attract developers who are leading a rapidly growing global industry to come and carry out comprehensive early stage fabrication and development of marine renewable energy devices in Pembrokeshire.  It will be a centre for marine renewable engineering development, with value to other industries, and is a key project within the Swansea Bay City Region Deal expected to generate over £76m of investment.

·         The Port’s Milford Waterfront development, which is already underway, is a 400,000 sq. ft. low-carbon, smart-living leisure, retail and tourism project. It will use advanced digital technology to create an exciting, next generation leisure and tourism experience, complementing the wider Region’s ambitions while strengthening Pembrokeshire’s year-round proposition and transforming Milford Haven’s existing Marina and Fish Docks. 

 

“Port Development and Enterprise Zone”

The Haven Waterway Enterprise Zone (“the Zone”) covers an area with a strong energy and engineering heritage.  It is home to a diverse range of sectors, a further education college and the UK’s third busiest port, Milford Haven.

 

The designation of the Zone has been successful in growing the employment base by adding political direction, providing funding support and offering financial incentives. Between 2012 and 2017, £9.3m was spent at the Zone, with 1,113.5 jobs created, safeguarded or assisted.

 

The Port believes there is an opportunity to “super-charge” the nation’s enterprise zones, in line with the Economic Action Plan, the Marine Plan for Wales and in readiness for a post-Brexit business environment. Our vision is for a new pro- business growth and trade initiative where Milford Haven — and other Welsh seaports and Cardiff Airport — is designated as a “Port Development and Enterprise Zone”. We believe this measure would encourage greater regional development, while boosting manufacturing, processing, intra- and international trade. 

 

Within super-charged zones, trade and industrial activity could be incentivised by a favourable business, tax and planning regime. For the Port — and others — opportunities centre on maximising the value from existing economic clusters — energy, engineering and fishing — particularly in manufacturing and processing.



Conclusion

Manufacturers want to be located at the nexus of transport routes. Ports and airports thrive and drive economic growth by being able to respond rapidly to market need.

 

How we utilise the existing skills base clustered around Welsh ports is vital to productivity growth, both now and in the future. The Welsh Government, industry and academia need to work closer together to generate further high skilled employment, drive knowledge transfer, sharing of skills and equipment to add value in the supply chain. 

 

The Port of Milford Haven would like to see ports, airports and other major economic centres in Wales prioritised as economic zones – providing leadership and a regulatory environment which makes it easy for businesses to operate, invest and employ. 

 

With a greatly strengthened presumption in favour of development, the Welsh Government could lower development risk, by shortening development timeframes and lowering project costs.

 

The Port believes that the private and public sectors must be proactive to ensure Wales remains an attractive place to do business. During a period of public policy uncertainty, maintaining business confidence through a competitive regulatory and fiscal system is key.

 

A representative of the management team would be happy to elaborate in person on the case for super-charging Wales’ substantial economic clusters.

 

Kind regards,

 

 

 

Anna Malloy

Stakeholder Engagement and Communications Manager