A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the Port of Milford Haven and Bombora, highlighting and strengthening their joint commitment to growing the marine energy industry in Pembrokeshire.
Originating in Australia, Bombora opened offices in Pembroke Dock in 2017 and has grown into a thriving business employing twenty-four full time staff. The company is currently constructing a 1.5 MW mWave wave energy converter to harness the potential of marine energy.
mWave sits below the surface of the water where wave pressure causes its flexible rubber membrane to inflate and deflate pumping air through a turbine to generate electricity. mWave is one of the most powerful wave energy demonstration devices to be built around the world.
The Memorandum of Understanding, signed by the Chief Executive of the Port of Milford Haven Andy Jones and Managing Director of Bombora Sam Leighton, will help to strengthen collaboration between the two organisations with the aim of realising the economic and energy opportunities presented by marine renewable energy within the Swansea Bay City Region and further afield.
Andy Jones from the Port commented "There is huge potential for this growing industry here in Pembrokeshire and our base at Pembroke Port is becoming a key site for companies such as Bombora to fabricate and assemble large scale devices for deployment at sea." He continued, "It's not just the Port that is benefiting though; the local supply chain has already succeeded in securing contracts with Bombora and plenty more opportunities will become available as the sector grows".
Bombora's Sam Leighton said "Since setting up our operational headquarters in Pembroke Dock we have received unprecedented support from the local industry and community. The facilities at Pembroke Port offer us every opportunity to fabricate, assemble, launch, test and maintain our first utility-scale mWave here in Pembrokeshire. This agreement reaffirms our long term commitment to establish Pembrokeshire as a leading centre of excellence for marine renewables."
Port of Milford Haven
The Port of Milford Haven is the UK's top energy port and Wales' busiest port handling around 20% of Britain's seaborne trade in oil and gas. It is widely recognised in the industry as the energy capital of the UK.
The Port, along with the cluster of energy-related businesses along the Waterway, is a key driver of economic activity in Pembrokeshire, attracting inward investment and supporting over 4,000 jobs.
The Port of Milford Haven also owns and operates Pembroke Port and Milford Dock. Activities such as cargo handling, ferry operations, fish landing and cruise calls as well as a first class marina are spread across these two sites.
One of the most prominent on the West Coast, the Port is in the heart of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, the only Coastal National Park in Great Britain. It is marked as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and has many areas designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
The Port of Milford Haven is a trust port - an independent, commercially run organisation that has statutory responsibilities governed by its Acts, to maintain and improve navigation and the provision of Port and Harbour services and facilities. Additionally, the Port provides significant financial and in-kind support to a wide variety of local causes. All profits are retained within the business to fund these objectives.
Photo caption (L to R): Andy Jones, Chief Executive at the Port of Milford Haven, and Sam Leighton, Managing Director of Bombora, sign a Memorandum of Understanding.
About Bombora and mWave
Bombora has developed a membrane style wave energy converter called mWave '. Located 10 meters beneath the ocean's surface, similar to a fully submerged reef, it is invisible from the shoreline. As ocean waves pass over mWave, the membranes deflect pumping air through a turbine to generate electricity. Electricity is directly transferred to shore via a submerged cable.
mWave is unique among wave energy converters as it simultaneously addresses the cost of energy' and ocean wave survivability' challenges.
Bombora is currently completing a 1.5MW mWave product validation project in Pembrokeshire, Wales with the support of the Welsh Government and a European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) grant. Bombora is simultaneously developing a global pipeline of commercial wave farm projects.
For further information, visit www.mhpa.co.uk or contact:
Anna Malloy
Port of Milford Haven
T: 01646 696100
E: anna.malloy@mhpa.co.uk
