Milford Haven Freeport eyes wind power jobs – but questions remain over local benefits

Major floating wind announcement hailed by ministers, but concerns grow over job downgrades and delays to Pembrokeshire impact

A MAJOR offshore wind announcement hailed as a "generational opportunity" by UK ministers has prompted fresh hope -- and renewed scepticism -- in Pembrokeshire. The UK Government this week revealed the developers chosen to build vast floating wind farms off the coasts of south Wales and south-west England. The Crown Estate is investing GBP400 million in supply chain infrastructure, and thousands of jobs are expected across Wales and the south-west.

While the ports of Port Talbot and Bristol were named as key assembly sites, Milford Haven's Freeport backers say the Pembrokeshire coast must not be overlooked. They argue that the deepwater harbour, renewable skills base, and new freeport status make it an ideal location for marine logistics, fabrication and long-term operations support.

Tom Sawyer, Chief Executive of the Port of Milford Haven, said: "We stand ready to deliver - our port is already geared toward supporting floating wind and marine energy. This is a real opportunity to anchor new industry here in west Wales."

However, industry insiders are sounding a note of caution. The Herald understands that some of the jobs originally described as high-skilled green roles may instead be lower-wage or short-term posts. Sources close to the development process said training packages had been scaled back and that many specialist components could still be imported from abroad.

"There's a risk this becomes another case of promises made, but not delivered locally," said one port engineering source. "We need to see turbine towers being built here, not just components shipped through." First Minister Eluned Morgan said she would be "picking up the phone" to companies involved, urging them to maximise Welsh jobs. But questions remain over how many roles will be based in Pembrokeshire -- and when.

Despite the upbeat tone from ministers, the floating wind farms are not expected to be operational until the early 2030s.

That means any serious benefits to the west Wales economy could still be five to ten years away. The Welsh Conservatives have welcomed Labour's latest announcement on offshore wind energy but criticised the lack of detail and guarantees surrounding its implementation. Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for the Economy and Energy, Samuel Kurtz MS, said: "The Welsh Conservatives have long championed the potential of floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea.

While today's announcement represents just a small step within a broader strategy first advanced by the previous UK Conservative Government, it is nonetheless a welcome development. "To truly seize this opportunity and unlock the full economic potential for Wales, it is essential that Welsh ports are placed at the forefront for the assembly, operation, and maintenance of these wind farms. This must be supported by a coordinated effort to ensure a skilled local workforce, and a resilient supply chain are in place, without which the promised prosperity and job creation will remain out of reach."

Local sustainability campaigner Andy Middleton also welcomed the announcement, but warned: "This is fantastic news for future generations -- but we must hold decision-makers to account. Pembrokeshire can't afford to be left behind while the big money and the big contracts go east."

Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS said: "New jobs are always welcome, especially in areas like Port Talbot, but as long as Labour refuse to devolve the Crown Estate to Wales, the money raised from these renewable projects will continue to flow out of Wales and go directly to London instead of directly benefiting Welsh communities. "I'm also worried that the Government hasn't done enough to promote a supply chain for wind turbines that benefits Welsh workers, with most of the components for turbines being imported from Germany and Denmark rather than being manufactured here in Wales."

The Milford Haven Freeport was launched earlier this year, with a mission to create thousands of skilled green jobs. But critics argue that until major manufacturers or anchor tenants commit to west Wales, the full promise of the freeport remains unfulfilled. Meanwhile, the political battle over control of the Crown Estate continues.

In Scotland, control of the seabed has been devolved, allowing profits to be reinvested locally. In Wales, the revenue still flows to the Treasury in London -- a situation Plaid Cymru and Welsh Labour have both challenged.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens said this week's announcement was "vindication" for keeping control in Westminster. But Pembrokeshire campaigners say it is time for local communities -- not just governments -- to see meaningful returns.

RenewableUK Cymru: This technology can transform Wales' fortunes

Director of RenewableUK Cymru Jessica Hooper said: "We welcome this announcement of the first two large-scale floating wind sites in the Celtic Sea, as this technology has the potential to be transformative for the Welsh economy.

Wales is poised to play a leading role in offshore wind. Over the next decade alone, there is up to GBP32 billion in economic value at stake, a GBP4.8 billion opportunity for Welsh businesses, alongside more than 3,000 well-paid jobs.. "Despite challenging market conditions, we're pleased to see a successful outcome for Equinor and Gwynt Glas -- a joint venture between EDF Renewables UK and ESB -- marking an important first step in building a much-needed pipeline of projects in the Celtic Sea.

To maximise the benefits of this technology and the investment in local facilities and supply chains we need long-term visibility on future leasing rounds and support in the upcoming clean power auction to start building out projects in Welsh waters and across the UK This will provide certainty for developers and investors to scale up new floating wind supply chains and ensure that workers have the right skills to make Wales a world leader in this cutting-edge technology". RenewableUK's Deputy Chief Executive Jane Cooper said: "Awarding leases to the first two sites for floating wind projects in the Celtic Sea marks a significant step forward for this innovative technology which is set to play a major role in the UK's future clean energy mix. Ports in south Wales and the south west of England have the potential to manufacture and assemble floating turbines, including giant platforms the size of football pitches, creating thousands of highly-skilled jobs.

There will also be long-term opportunities in operations and maintenance, supporting local supply chains and providing sustained employment throughout the lifecycle of these projects." "But this is just the start - the UK already has one of the largest floating project pipelines in the world, so we have an opportunity to deliver green economic growth at scale. Our analysis shows that by 2050, floating turbines could provide a third of the UK's offshore wind capacity with 40 gigawatts fully operational - enough to power every home in the country.

By then, our research shows that the UK's floating wind industry could employ 97,000 people, contributing GBP47 billion to our economy by building and supplying projects here as well as exporting our cutting-edge technology worldwide".a

Award a significant milestone

The award of two 1.5 GW seabed leases in the Celtic Sea to Equinor and Gwynt Glas is a significant milestone--but it's just the first step in a much longer process. For Milford Haven, the key takeaway is that the region now has a real opportunity to secure integration-port status--converting the nearby lease into tangible economic benefits. The Port of Milford Haven, part of the Celtic Freeport, is already eyeing test-phase and commercial-scale roles through its FLOWMIS-backed upgrade of Pembroke Port.

If successful, that would position Milford Haven to host assembly, operations, and servicing of these floating turbines, generating long-term skilled jobs into the 2030s.

However, this hinges on winning a formal role in the supply chain, securing funding, and translating seabed rights into local contracts--an outcome still to be determined.

Photo caption:
Waiting for take-off: Milford Haven Freeport could benefit from offshore wind - but how many jobs will really come to Pembrokeshire? (Pic: Herald)