The Great South West Partnership, in collaboration with Celtic Sea Power, brought together senior leaders from industry, government, and clean energy specialists to accelerate investment into the region’s ports and harbours, positioning the South West at the forefront of the UK’s clean energy and maritime future.
Held on 27 April at Exeter College’s Future Skills Centre, the Port Investment Workshop convened key stakeholders for a focused, solutions-led discussion on how to unlock public and private capital into port infrastructure to strengthen the region’s role in delivering Government priorities, and enhance the nation’s sovereign capabilities.
Professor Dame Judith Petts DBE, Chair of the Great South West Partnership Clean Energy Programme Board, said: “The Great South West has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to position itself at the heart of the UK’s clean energy transition. Our ports are critical national infrastructure, not just for our region, but for the UK’s energy security, industrial capability, and economic growth.
“This event marks an important step forward in building a clear, investable proposition. By bringing together partners from across industry and government, we are developing practical solutions to unlock funding, reduce risk, and ensure our ports are ready to deliver at scale.”
Tim Pick, Chair of the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership and a Commissioner on the Clean Power 2030 Advisory Commission, said: “The Celtic Sea region offers the UK a test case for a place-based, regional growth strategy, encompassing everything from lithium mining and floating offshore wind, to defence and the future of steelmaking at Port Talbot.
“Ports are a critical enabler for realising the Government’s growth ambitions, and the work undertaken by Great South West and Celtic Sea Power clearly demonstrates this. Critically, we need a delivery mechanism to bridge the complex range of different governance arrangements that feature around the Celtic Sea coastline, which can bring renewed focus and investment to this nationally significant opportunity.”
Outputs from the workshop will inform a high-level policy paper and investment proposition, which will be shared with policymakers, investors, and national stakeholders in the coming months, including at UKREiiF in May.
The initiative reflects the Great South West Partnership’s wider mission to drive clean growth, strengthen the UK’s industrial base, and ensure the region is recognised as a nationally significant hub for energy, defence, and maritime innovation.
Download the Great South West Multi-Port Strategy Statement:
