This year marks the 50th anniversary of Drax Power Station beginning to generate power and to celebrate this occasion the owners of the new ship, Ultrabulk, invited Drax to name their latest vessel.
Drax selected the name in tribute to the county that is home to the power station.
Drax and Ultrabulk, the Danish-based leading global dry bulk operator, have a longstanding partnership. Ultrabulk is Drax’s largest freight provider and plays a key role in the company’s biomass supply chain, shipping sustainable wood pellets to Drax Power Station in the UK and to Japanese customers.
The m.v. ‘Ultra Yorkshire’ is a 40,000dwt bulk carrier and the launch ceremony was attended by representatives from Drax, Ultrabulk, the Shin Kirushima shipyard and a number of Japanese corporations.
Mr Yoji Maki, President of Shin Kurushima Kochijyuko Co.,Ltd., cutting the champagne cord to name the vessel.
Mark Gibbens, Drax Group’s Head of Logistics, said: “We are honoured that Ultrabulk allowed us to name the Ultra Yorkshire as part of Drax Power Station’s 50th anniversary celebrations. It was a privilege to participate in the launch ceremony of the new ship.
Mark Gibbens, Drax’s Head of Logistics, speaking at the launch ceremony.
“Drax Power Station has kept the lights on for millions of homes and businesses across the UK over the years and, following its conversion to biomass generation, companies in our supply chain like Ultrabulk have become critical to its continued operation. We are proud of our strong and longstanding relationship with Ultrabulk.”
Hans-Christian Olesen, Ultrabulk CEO said: “We are proud to celebrate the Drax Group and their 50th anniversary through the launch of the m.v. Ultra Yorkshire. This vessel is a great symbol of our long-standing partnership and shared commitment to sustainability and efficient logistics. We have always appreciated our close collaboration with Drax, and we look forward to continuing this successful partnership for many years to come.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
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About Drax:
Drax Group’s (Drax) purpose is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future and in 2019 announced a world-leading ambition to be carbon negative by 2030, using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology.
Drax’s c.3,500 employees operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production and supply to third parties. For more information visit www.drax.com
Power generation:
Drax owns and operates a portfolio of renewable electricity generation assets in England and Scotland. The assets include the UK’s largest power station, based at Selby, North Yorkshire, which supplies four percent of the country’s electricity needs.
Having converted Drax Power Station to use sustainable biomass instead of coal it has become the UK’s biggest renewable power generator. It is also where Drax is piloting the negative emissions technology BECCS within its CCUS (Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage) Incubation Area.
Its pumped storage, hydro and energy from waste assets in Scotland include Cruachan Power Station – a flexible pumped storage facility within the hollowed-out mountain Ben Cruachan.
The Group also aims to build on its BECCS innovation at Drax Power Station with a target to deliver 4 million tonnes of negative CO2 emissions each year from new-build BECCS outside of the UK by 2030 and is currently developing models for North American and European markets.
Pellet production and supply:
The Group has 18 operational pellet plants and developments with nameplate production capacity of around 5 million tonnes a year.
Drax is targeting 8 million tonnes of production capacity by 2030, which will require the development of over 3 million tonnes of new biomass pellet production capacity. The pellets are produced using materials sourced from sustainably managed working forests and are supplied to third party customers in Europe and Asia for the generation of renewable power.
Drax’s pellet plants supply biomass used at its own power station in North Yorkshire, England to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses, and also to customers in Europe and Asia.
Customers:
Drax supplies renewable electricity to UK businesses, offering a range of energy-related services including energy optimisation, as well as electric vehicle strategy and management.
To find out more go to the website www.energy.drax.com
