Associated British Ports has signed a commercial agreement with RWE and Clarksons Port Services designating the Port of Lowestoft as the construction support base for the Vanguard West and East offshore wind farms in the Southern North Sea.
The agreement confirms the Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility as the operational hub for the programme and reinforces the port’s strategic role in East Anglia’s offshore energy sector.
The Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility, officially opened by Energy Security Secretary Ed Miliband in January 2025, represents a £35 million investment in port infrastructure.
The facility provides deep-water berths, 350 metres of upgraded quayside, six crew transfer vessel berths with modern utilities and up to eight acres of operational space.
To support the RWE contract specifically, ABP is commissioning a new 2,000 square metre warehouse at the facility and preparing the Outer Harbour with additional pontoons to accommodate rising crew transfer vessel activity.
Clarksons Port Services will lease and operate the facility on behalf of RWE.
Under the agreement, RWE has secured up to three Service Operation Vessels and three Crew Transfer Vessels at Lowestoft over multiple years for the Vanguard construction programme.
The selection of Lowestoft validates the scale of investment made by ABP and Clarksons and consolidates the port’s position as a primary base for Southern North Sea offshore wind operations.
When complete, the Norfolk Vanguard West and East projects will add a combined 3.1 GW of generating capacity, sufficient to power approximately three million UK homes.
The development is expected to support long-term employment in the Lowestoft area and contribute to the UK’s broader energy transition objectives.
