Port of Blyth secures decommissioning licence

The English east-coast port of Blyth has obtained a decommissioning licence from the UK Environment Agency.

Having been granted an environmental permit, the port is now preparing a 2.3-hectare site suitable for decommissioning at its Battleship Wharf terminal.

The designated decomm site is licensed to handle up to 50,000 tonnes of offshore energy materials per year, with the port likely to focus on small to medium-sized projects and pieces up to 4,000 tonnes.

Work will start soon to prepare a heavy-duty concrete base and quarantine areas for hazardous waste, including NORM, to cater for expected demand from North Sea projects.

Port of Blyth chief executive Martin Lawlor said Blyth was one of the UK’s fastest-growing trust ports, driven largely by a surge in offshore-related activities in recent years.