Grimsby’s 5G PORTAL, backed by £2.8 million in funding from Innovate UK and the Greater Lincolnshire LEP, has been officially inaugurated.

This project is a testing ground equipped with advanced 5G technology.

It covers the Grimsby port and the Lynn and Inner Dowsing wind farm and is designed to speed up the development of digital technologies necessary for the expansion of offshore wind farms.

The ‘living lab’ allows tech companies to test and showcase their equipment, emphasising the importance of reliable high-speed communications.

It is open to participants from the global offshore wind sector.

Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero, Graham Stuart, underlined the importance of embracing new technologies to enhance offshore wind projects, making them more efficient and eco-friendly.

The project is managed by a consortium led by ORE Catapult and involves several organisations, including Microsoft, XceCo, Associated British Ports, Accelleran, JET Connectivity, Boldyn Networks, and Satellite Applications Catapult.

The launch of the 5G PORTAL featured demonstrations, such as autonomously controlled drones for offshore inspections, AI-powered video monitoring and solar-powered vessels for inspections.