9 Mar 2023
Forth Green Freeport shortlisting announcement
Babcock is delighted that the UK and Scottish Governments have shortlisted the Forth Green Freeport (FGFP) for development.
FGFP consists of Babcock; Edinburgh Airport; Forth Ports; INEOS; Scarborough Muir Group; The City of Edinburgh Council, Falkirk Council and Fife Council. It is expected to generate up to 50,000 new green jobs and act as a catalyst for new green technologies and renewable energy manufacturing.
The FGFP consortium predicts that £6 billion of private and public investment will be unlocked by the freeport status, across productive and resilient industries, including sustainable fuels, large scale advanced manufacturing (including floating wind and shipbuilding), air/rail/sea transport and fast-moving logistics.
The FGFP’s strategically located tax and customs sites include Babcock’s Rosyth site where we undertake Large Scale Advanced manufacturing for the Energy and Marine sectors. This is part of a wider 550 hectares spanning Grangemouth, Leith, Rosyth, Burntisland and Edinburgh Airport. The Freeport will support the growth of advanced green businesses across the Firth of Forth and at sites spread north, south and west of the estuary.
FGFP will also act as a springboard for the Arrol Gibb Innovation Campus (AGIC) programme established by Babcock and its partners. AGIC has been developed to draw together key players in skills and innovation for the energy and marine sectors around Rosyth. The FGFP consortium will build on AGIC to support the business growth anticipated.
David Lockwood, Babcock CEO said: “Babcock welcomes the UK & Scottish Governments’ commitment to a green growth corridor, which encompasses the Forth Green Freeport consortium’s capabilities, land and facilities. The potential to create opportunities and jobs around the Forth and across the country is significant.
“We are committed to the region, having already made a substantial investment in sustainable technology and infrastructure at our Rosyth site. The Freeport will, without doubt, expand our scope to recruit and to meet UK and international demand over the years to come.”
You can read further details about this announcement, here.