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Freeport East

Partner

Freeport East is one of twelve freeports in England. It is a hub for global trade and national regeneration, and a hotbed for innovation that will impact the region and the UK.

Gateway 14 in Stowmarket

About

Creating a hotbed for innovation in the East of England

Freeport East covers over a thousand square kilometres in total, stretching from Felixstowe and Harwich down through Clacton and Jaywick, out around Colchester and Sudbury, Stowmarket and Woodbridge.

With its unique global links and existing innovative sectoral clusters, Freeport East attracts inward international investment to drive domestic growth, propelling the country’s economy forward.

Covering Britain’s busiest container port and two major ferry ports and located close to the East Coast green energy cluster, Freeport East offers a unique combination of advantages to benefit traders, manufacturers and clean energy suppliers.

It will create 13,500 new jobs and generate a Gross Value Added (GVA) of £5.5 billion over 10 years.

Freeport East is a unique partner for investment and collaboration for partners looking to innovate and test new approaches to growing a modern green economy for the future.

The UK Government’s freeport policy comprises a mix of mechanisms designed to facilitate economic growth. These include targeted tax benefits to bring forward key development sites, a novel customs regime to facilitate customs site development, and targeted Government support and regulatory engagement to unlock barriers to innovation and strengthen trade and inward investment opportunities.

In the news

Freeport East creates 1,800 jobs in a year of growth

Freeport East has attracted £250 million in private investment and created 1,800 jobs across its development sites in 2024, with international firms from Australia, Turkey and Germany choosing to invest in our region.
News

Freeport East signs deal to boost funding for green businesses

Freeport East has partnered with advisory firm greenCrowd to help small and medium-sized businesses access funding for sustainable projects. The collaboration aims to unlock new investment opportunities through a dedicated impact fund launching in 2025.
News