My column for this week’s Times & Star
There’s a simple question I’ve been focused on since being elected: how do we unlock the full potential of the Port of Workington for our town?
Because the truth is, we already have the foundations. A strategic location on the west coast, deep-water access, rail and road connectivity, and a workforce with real industrial strength. This is a port with the capacity to be a catalyst for growth.
But potential on its own doesn’t create jobs or bring investment. It takes a plan – and a relentless focus on delivery.
That’s why one of the first things I did as your MP was bring together partners to form a Port Taskforce with Cumberland Council, industry and government. The aim was straightforward: move beyond ambition and start building a credible, investable pipeline of projects.
Working closely with Cumberland Council – as the port’s owner and harbour authority – we secured funding to develop a Strategic Outline Business Case. That work has now been completed and sets out a clear vision: by 2040, a thriving clean energy, manufacturing and logistics hub right here in Workington.
But this is not the end of the process – it’s the beginning of the next phase.
Cumberland Council has now commissioned Mott MacDonald to take that initial work further and turn it into something investors and government can back with confidence: detailed, investable propositions that can unlock major upgrades to the port’s infrastructure and capability.
Alongside this technical work, I’ve been making the case directly in Westminster. We’ve brought senior Ministers to the Port and Taskforce meetings to see the opportunity first-hand. We’ve also engaged the National Wealth Fund to position our port as a serious candidate for long-term public and private investment.
Why does this matter? Because the scale of opportunity is significant.
We’re talking about supporting offshore wind in the Irish Sea, strengthening our role in nuclear logistics linked to Sellafield, and creating new opportunities in hydrogen, clean fuels and advanced manufacturing. The port already sits at the heart of these sectors – we now need to scale it up.
We’ve also made real progress on the basics: improving road access, unlocking land for development, and investing in facilities that make the port more competitive. These are the building blocks investors expect to see – and we are putting them in place. And exciting prospects are already in development for new facilities in or near the Port that will create jobs – I hope to be able to say more on those very soon.
None of this happens overnight. But what I want residents to know is this: we now have momentum.
A clear plan. Strong local partnership. Engagement at the highest levels of government. And a growing pipeline of projects that can bring jobs, growth and long-term investment to Workington. The future is bright for the Port of Workington!
Josh MacAlister MP 