The Port of Cherbourg is making 100ha of quay space available to the renewable sector, due to be completed during Q2 2016.

While the Port has already had 44ha of area available since March 2014, as well as a new 14 m deep heavy-load quay with a bearing capacity of 15 tons per cu m, the port is undertaking a number of projects to bring additional land space online during 2016, representing some EUR100m ($106.6m) of investment.

Works include diversion for access roads and railway lines, slated for completion at end 2015, as well as adaptation works on the outer harbour of Caen-Ouistreham, due to start in Q1 2016, 39ha of port land and 17ha of business area.

The news follows the announcement of several new tenders for the first ever floating offshore wind farms, amounting to EUR150m of French government funding. The move by the Port is intended to capitalise on this, providing office and cargo space as well as vessel loading capacity for future offshore wind projects.