From the Grimsby (England) Telegraph
Grimsby has forged official links with New Bedford as America’s biggest fishing port seeks to embrace offshore wind.
A large delegation of influential representatives from the public and private sector has visited North East Lincolnshire from the Massachusetts city, with a Memorandum of Agreement signed between the two.
The US visitors are keen to learn how Grimsby became the poster child for offshore wind operations and maintenance for the UK, as it looks towards installing an initial 1,600 MW – roughly what Grimsby will control come 2018.
Mayor of North East Lincolnshire, Councillor Christina McGilligan-Fell, council leader Councillor Ray Oxby and chief executive Rob Walsh welcomed 24 officials from the eastern seaboard, including Mayor of City of New Bedford, Jon F Mitchell.
“They have travelled a very long way and have chosen to partner with Grimsby because they see the work that we have undertaken as a port, and town, to work with the wind industry as a best practice exemplar.
“In this case imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”
Describing offshore wind as “only part of the story” and aware of an early morning visit to Grimsby Fish Market, Mr Oxby said: “They met with other representatives from our seafood cluster and I hope they are excited about the potential for mutual benefit and growth.”
Dong Energy is another common factor, with the Danish giant opening an office in Boston, as the North American HQ. Tours of the Westermost Rough operations and maintenance facility and the equivalent for E.on’s Humber Gateway offshore wind farm were also taken, so too HCF Catch at Stallingborough and Humber UTC in Scunthorpe.
It is not the first visit from the State, or the US, with previous tours in September last year and March, leading up to this significant milestone.
Mayor Mitchell said: “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and what a great place for us to imitate. Grimsby has such a rich, rich history in seafaring, and such a strong identity as a port.
“In New Bedford, we are taking the future in our own hands, just as Grimsby has done over the last couple of decades, and that’s the way the world is these days.
“We have to think big, be pro-active and aggressive, seize good ideas and share them where opportunities present themselves.
“If there is a place in the UK to be partnered with it is certainly Grimsby. We are pleased to be here.”
As well as presenting the mayor and council leader with a written history of New Bedford and a commemorative pen, golf balls were also given, as the world-leading manufacturer Titleist is also based there.
“We do golf balls as well as fish,” Mayor Mitchell joked.
Some of the party are staying on in the region to attend Offshore Wind Connections, the Team Humber Marine Alliance annual conference taking place at Bridlington Spa this week, with full coverage on www.humberbusiness.com, our dedicated business website and official event media partner.
Mark O’Reilly, chairman and chief executive of THMA, who witnessed the signing, said: “We have a real cross-section of delegates from business, asking a lot of questions about the workforce, skills, training and experience of how you develop supply chains. They are here to learn from us.
“We have talked about what we did bringing people in from existing roles, maritime, ports, engineering, and bringing them under the umbrella.
“They are now in that religious phase, getting the believers on board.
“This is the first agreement signed, and Grimsby is leading the way in many respects, with existing connections with Bremerhaven (Germany) and now New Bedford.
“We are building a transatlantic bridge of offshore wind.”