Ørsted’s Hornsea 3 has signed a lease agreement for up to 300,000sq m at Steel River Quay, part of the Teesworks site on the south bank of the River Tees in the North-east of England.

This huge area will play a vital role in construction of the Hornsea 3 wind farm as it will be used to collect and store key components, such as monopile foundations and secondary steel, before they are loaded onto offshore wind installation vessels. The weight of each monopile can be more than 2,300 tonnes, almost as much as Nelson’s Column in London’s Trafalgar Square.

Hornsea 3, is an £85bn infrastructure project located in the North Sea 160km off the Yorkshire coast and will deliver enough green energy to power more than three million UK homes.

Energy minister Michael Shanks said: “Our mission to become a clean energy superpower is focused on attracting investment for local communities, creating new jobs, and ensuring energy security for families and businesses.

“This partnership delivers on that promise - Hornsea 3 will drive growth throughout Teesside and help rebuild Britain’s industrial heartlands as part of our Plan for Change."

Jason Ledden, senior project director at Hornsea 3 said: “Ørsted’s choice of Steel River Quay at Teesworks for Hornsea 3 demonstrates our continued commitment to investing in British infrastructure, growth and jobs. The port is the first in the UK to be specifically designed for the offshore wind industry and we’re proud to be its first large-scale users.

“Offshore wind is not only generating clean, but plentiful energy also – it’s bringing economic benefits to communities all around the UK.”

Ally Cameron, managing director at Steel River Quay, said: “This is a landmark moment for Steel River Quay and the wider Teesworks site. To welcome Ørsted’s Hornsea 3 project as our first large-scale offshore wind base is a huge vote of confidence in the infrastructure, location and capability we’ve built here.

“This partnership will not only deliver clean energy infrastructure for the UK but also drive jobs, investment and opportunity for our region.”

As well as being specially designed for offshore wind industry standards, Steel River Quay is in close proximity to Hornsea 3. It is also home to two of Hornsea 3’s contract partners, Severfield, which will supply secondary steel structures, and SeAH, one of the wind farm’s monopile suppliers. Cadeler will supply the vessels to Hornsea 3 from Steel River Quay, with Mammoet carrying out heavy lifting operations.

The South Tees Development Corporation plays a key role in the regeneration of Teesworks, working alongside private sector partners who own and lead the majority of the site. The 4,500-acre site is being transformed as a centre for green industry, securing billions of pounds of investment and creating thousands of highly skilled jobs.