New offshore decommissioning hub set to be launched at Port of Sunderland

A new offshore decommissioning base is being established at the Port of Sunderland by County Durham firm Northern Metal Recycling.

The Shildon business already runs a 15 acre site at Hackworth Industrial Park where it specialises in the collection and removal of ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metals, and says its new agreement with the Wear port will allow it to tap into large scale decommissioning projects from the North Sea. Its new hub will make use of 540 metres of deep-water berths at Corporation and Greenwells Quays, on the west and east sides of the port respectively, and heavy lift cranes.

Bosses at the Port and Northern Metal Recycling point to the opportunity that lies in decommissioning work, which is valued by the North Sea Transition Authority as £2.5bn per year over the next 20 years. The new hub is the latest in recycling activity at the Port, where Norwegian tyre recycling firm Wastefront is developing a major facility that aims to process about 80,000 tonnes per year of end-of-life car and truck tyres.

Jordan Bell, managing director of Northern Metal Recycling, said: “There is huge demand for the decommissioning of oil and gas apparatus and equipment and Port of Sunderland is perfectly placed to capitalise on this. By teaming up with the port, we will not only benefit from utilising its deep-water berths and leading-edge handling equipment, but we will also be able to take on significantly larger projects. It will open up so many new avenues for the business.”

 He added: “Being so close to our Shildon facility means it is not only economical, but also a lot more environmentally friendly, which as a recycling company, is something that really appealed. It is also perfectly positioned adjacent to the North Sea oil and gas fields, which is one of the markets we’re seeking to tap into by helping oil and gas operators with their decommissioning efforts. It just ticked all of the boxes and we can’t wait to get started."

Sven Richards, commercial manager at Port of Sunderland, said: “We are delighted to be working Northern Metal Recycling on this new decommissioning hub. Over recent years, we’ve carved out a real reputation for supporting businesses operating in the circular economy and helping bring more businesses to the region, and this is yet another great example of that.

"It’s a great success story for the port, allowing us to provide an all-round better service to our customers, and for the North East, which is quickly establishing itself as a world leader in offshore wind and green energy."

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