The Chair of Humber Freeport has told an offshore wind conference “the Humber is ready” and has the “people, skills, talent and passion” to attract further investment.
Finbarr Dowling spoke at the Offshore Wind Connections 2026 conference, one of the leading UK events for the industry, to showcase the many attractive opportunities available in the Humber.
In his previous roles as a senior executive with Siemens, Mr Dowling led the delivery of two major projects, the Siemens Gamesa blade factory in Hull and Siemens Mobility’s Rail Village in Goole.
He told leading figures from across the offshore wind sector that the Humber is “the place to invest”.
He said: “I’m so passionate about this region because I’ve seen first-hand how successful investing here can be. I’ve done it!
“The Humber really is the place to do business and at Humber Freeport we’re working closely with industry, Government and regional partners to remove barriers, unlock investment and create high-value jobs in the region.”
Chair of Humber Freeport, Finbarr Dowling spoke during the Offshore Wind Connections conference to share the benefits of investing in the Humber.
Speaking about the benefits the Humber Freeport offers to businesses looking to invest, Mr Dowling explained that the tax relief and financial incentives are just one part of a package of benefits the Freeport tax sites offer.
He said: “The Humber’s strategic location, infrastructure and business environment offer so many benefits to businesses looking to invest. It’s a dynamic region and each of our tax sites has different attributes to offer.
“The Goole tax site offers fantastic access via road, being located on the M62/M18 corridor, as well as a workforce of over 3.5 million people within an hour’s commute, whilst in Hull we have Saltend Chemicals Park, which offers a ‘plug and play’ solution with direct connectivity via the sea.
“The Humber region also offers a collaborative business environment with partnerships like the Freeport providing funding access, regulatory support and expert guidance from day one.”
Mr Dowling was interviewed by host, and Editor of Insider Media, Ian Leech.
Mr Dowling also highlighted the region’s workforce as a key asset which makes investing in the Humber region so attractive to businesses.
He said: “I challenge anyone to find me a location in the UK which has better people and a better workforce than the Humber. We have a highly-skilled workforce whose core strengths are in technical, manufacturing and engineering skills.
“This is backed up by our fantastic schools and training bodies, such as CATCH’s Industry Training Hub in Stallingborough, Ron Dearing University Technical College in Hull, and the University of Hull’s Aura Centre, which are continuously investing in world-class training facilities to build the skills pipeline to meet the region’s future industrial needs.”
Since launching in 2023, Humber Freeport’s tax sites have attracted more than £2bn of investment, with headline investors including LanzaTech, Mitsubishi Chemical Group and Metsa Tissue.
