Around 75 local firms attended a “very positive” business breakfast on Tuesday, June 20, in Harwich showcasing the £1.5bn Galloper wind farm project under construction off the Suffolk coast.

Ipswich Star: Tthe Galloper Business Breakfast in Harwich on June 20.Tthe Galloper Business Breakfast in Harwich on June 20. (Image: Tendring District Council)

The 336MW project has unveiled plans to base its purpose built operations and maintenance facility at Harwich International Port.

Galloper operations and maintenance manager Sean Chenery said the event was “very positive” with lots of interest and interaction.

“Given the operational life of an offshore wind farm is around 25 years, any associated base can help support long-term jobs and investment into an area,” he said.

“We have a number of contracts to award in relation to the planned base and we felt it would be helpful to meet with local businesses and outline what opportunities are available to them and how they can ensure they are considered for these opportunities.”

The Galloper operations and maintenance Team who will be responsible for operating and maintaining the wind farm long term, and the project’s procurement team gave an update on the project and the company’s procurement process at the event, which was organised by Tendring District Council.

Neil Stock, leader of Tendring District Council, said: “The breakfast meeting was an ideal chance for our businesses in Tendring to learn more about the progress of the project and what opportunities there may be in the pipeline that they can benefit from.

“It is a long term project which promises a significant boost for the District and it was pleasing that so many companies attended the event.”

The operations and maintenance base application is in planning with a decision expected in July this year. The construction of the Galloper project, which is expected to be complete by spring 2018, is being led on behalf of the project partners by innogy SE.