The Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility (LEEF) Berth Utilisation & Services Audit – Associated British Ports (ABP)
Company Information
ABP is the UK’s leading ports group. We proudly serve our customers and our communities in the pursuit of our ambitious missions which are ‘Keeping Britain Trading’ and ‘Enabling the Energy Transition’. These are underpinned by a strong commitment to safety, sustainability and our people. Our network of 21 ports handles ~ one quarter of the UK’s seaborne trade, and ~ £157 billion of UK trade annually. Our ports handle £40 billion of UK exports each year. ABP is an essential partner for the Offshore Wind industry, providing Operations and Maintenance (O&M) for over 50% of the sector’s activity.
Project Overview
Associated British Ports (ABP) is the UK’s leading ports group, operating a network of 21 ports and handling around one quarter of the UK’s seaborne trade each year. ABP plays a critical role in ‘Keeping Britain Trading’ and ‘Enabling the Energy Transition’, with a strong focus on safety, sustainability, and people.
ABP is a key partner to the offshore wind industry, providing Operations and Maintenance (O&M) support for over 50% of the sector’s activity. To support the UK Government’s targets for a significant increase in offshore wind capacity by 2030, ABP invested £35 million in the Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility (LEEF). LEEF provides deep-water berths designed to support modern offshore wind vessels.
This project focuses on analysing how effectively LEEF is being used and identifying opportunities to improve berth utilisation, services offered to vessels, and the overall efficiency of port calls.
Project Aim
To assess berth utilisation and services at the Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility (LEEF) and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, commercial value, and user experience for offshore wind vessels.
Project Context
Traditional berths in Lowestoft’s Inner Harbour are restricted by the Bascule Bridge and water depth, limiting access for larger Service Operation Vessels (SOVs). LEEF was developed in the Outer Harbour to overcome these constraints by providing deep-water berths and shore power capability, allowing vessels to switch off engines and connect to electricity to support carbon reduction targets.
Key Areas of Investigation
You will focus on analysing the commercial ecosystem surrounding LEEF, including:
• Berth utilisation – how frequently berths are occupied and reasons for underuse
• Services – what additional services could be offered to vessels (e.g. waste disposal, Wi‑Fi, fresh water)
• Efficiency – how to make port calls at Lowestoft as smooth and effective as possible
What You Will Do
The specific structure of the project is intentionally flexible and will be shaped by the intern.
• Research how LEEF berths are currently being used
• Investigate patterns of vessel arrivals, departures, and occupancy
• Explore what services vessels currently use and what additional services could be offered
• Analyse factors affecting efficiency during port calls
• Identify barriers that limit berth utilisation or service uptake
• Organise findings using digital tools such as spreadsheets and documents
• Develop your own approach to analysing and presenting the results
Science, Engineering and Technical Understanding
• Understanding port infrastructure and offshore wind O&M operations
• Exploring how vessel size, depth, and access affect port design and use
• Learning about shore power and its role in reducing vessel emissions
• Applying data analysis to real-world infrastructure challenges
• Linking commercial decisions to energy transition goals
Planning and Organisation
• Define your own project structure and objectives
• Plan how to gather and analyse relevant information
• Keep organised records of data, observations, and assumptions
• Manage your time independently
• Review progress with your supervisor
Skills Developed
• Project management
• Research
• Data analysis
• Problem solving
• Microsoft Office skills
• Independent working
• Self-motivation
Final Outputs
The format of the final output is flexible and will be agreed during the placement.
• A completed project analysing berth utilisation and services at LEEF
• Evidence-based findings and insights
• Ideas or recommendations to improve utilisation, services, or efficiency
• A final summary or presentation showcasing your work
Reflection and Evaluation
Your report could include:
• What you learned about port operations and offshore wind O&M
• What factors most affected berth utilisation and efficiency
• Challenges encountered during the project
• How confident you are in your findings and why
• What you would explore further if the project continued
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