MoU to support marine energy industry

The MoU is between the Port of Milford Haven and Australia-founded Bombora, which in 2017 opened offices in Pembroke Dock at the Port of Milford Haven owned and operated Pembroke Port and is developing a 1.5 MW mWave wave energy converter demonstration device which will harness the potential of marine energy.

This Mou is expected 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, chief executive of the Port of Milford Haven, said: “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 added: “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.”

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 and is one of the most powerful wave energy demonstration devices to be built around the world to date.

Bombora’s managing director, Sam Leighton, said: “The facilities at Pembroke Port offer us every opportunity to fabricate, assemble, launch, test and maintain our first utility-scale mWave here in Pembrokeshire.”