Humber renewables champion Camilla’s calling came as coal lost its crown and green became the new black

Born into a maritime family with great heritage on the Humber, Camilla Carlbom Flinn’s rise to prominence in the sector came at a time of incredible transformation.

For while the energy transition has played out from the corridors of power to homes and industry, no clearer a picture has emerged than on the Energy Estuary itself.

Immingham Dock, built principally to export coal, was walked across during its construction by her great grandfather as excavations completed on the 45-acre enclosure back in 1912, ahead of his eponymous ship's agency handling the very first vessel to enter the lock. Less than a century later the port was being repurposed to import the fossil fuel at scale, as power stations needed coal to keep the country’s lights on, while mines of Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire closed. As the nation was weaned off the black stuff, renewables brought evolution across both banks. 

Carlbom Shipping - now Pentagon Marine, following its acquisition in 2022 - fulfils a critical role for those vessels chartered to help build the world’s leading wind farms, and has recently added the world’s largest jack-up vessel to a proud list.

Instrumental to that change has been Camilla. Born in Cleethorpes, school holidays were punctuated with regular visits to the Immingham office, before she headed off to study international business management and broadcast journalism. An early media career took her to Paris, London and New York before returning to Lincolnshire with her young family in 2008. Her father Anthony’s sudden passing saw her take the helm of Carlbom Shipping as a new industry dawned, a move that was always in the making, but happened without warning.

“I was always involved in the business from my teenage years, I’d always been around the office, I’d met clients and accompanied my father to business lunches and dinners,” she said. “Before I even came back to the Humber, I knew the team in the office very well, and quite a lot of the clients, but I only came back 17 years ago when my father passed away.”

Carlbom had been founded in 1897 in Grimsby, expanding to Hull and then Immingham when the port was created. A proud history with enviable achievements throughout, Camilla said: “We handled the very first vessel to enter Immingham Dock, the SS Max, and it is wonderful that we are still here, alongside some of the same family companies still working on the river. That’s the lifeblood, the small, long-established companies with wonderful relations on the Humber. We have all grown in different ways. It is the basis of the maritime network that has also become the renewables network on the Humber.”

Those first tentative steps into offshore wind have blossomed, and under Pentagon the business is now working from Aberdeen to Lowestoft, and thriving on the Humber, where so much has played out. “We’ve been very much involved in the construction of all the major wind farms off the East Coast in the last decade, so too operations and maintenance in Grimsby.

“We’ve found a need for the traditional element of being a ship’s agent, but this has expanded to encompass warehousing, transport, customs, procurement - it really is a massive logistical enterprise to support the offshore wind network. That has been fantastic for so many companies around the Humber and beyond. You can see the investment it has brought, you see it in Grimsby, you see it in Hull and you see it in Immingham. The ports are busy, particularly when it comes to the construction phase. The scale of vessel movements is just incredible for the area.” 

The long-standing team and its independence made the transition a simpler one than it may have been for others. “We could be very agile,” Camilla said. “We could respond really quickly, and if we had an unusual request we could just get on and sort it, and that’s engrained in our service levels to our customers. Whatever they need, even if they might not know they need it, we have the knowledge and experience to deliver. 

“There are so many aspects of offshore wind, particularly in construction. It has been a sea-change in how we operate and the services we offer, and this transformation was essential, with all the coal-fired power stations being forced to close. It has been vital for the maritime sector.” 

Her crowning as Humber Renewables Champion was as much about her work outside of the agency as within. Camilla is a leading light in Humber Marine & Renewables, and, continuing another family role, is honorary consul for Sweden and Finland, while also sitting as chair of the Humber chapter of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Swedish Council in London, actively promoting business and cultural connections across the North Sea.

She first became involved with the Humber Marine & Renewables, formed with the merger of Team Humber Marine Alliance and Grimsby Renewables Partnership, in 2010.

“I remember my first international trip to Denmark in 2010, taking in Esbjerg, looking at a Siemens blade factory over there. Now it is incredible to fast forward 15 years and we are doing that on the Humber, showcasing how to operate in offshore wind to the rest of the world. We have had visitors from China, South Korea, Taiwan and the US, as well as Europeans. We are now the posterchild for offshore wind - particularly in how you can use the assets of old fishing industries that have lost some of their power, and utilise the infrastructure the skills and talent, and just apply it into offshore wind.  It is an incredible achievement.”

And while now a senior figure on the board, she credits the organisation for supporting such growth. “For a small business to set foot in the offshore sector, Team Humber just opened so many doors,” she said. “You don’t meet people by cold calling, but at events Team Humber put on, and it is fun. You meet interesting people, learn about their business, find common ground, and when you need a service or a sub-contractor you have that network. 

“We have done a lot of work for some major players in the sector, and on the Hornsea Two project (the latest completed by Orsted on the Humber) we had 125 sub-contractors. A lot of that supply chain was local, and it included hotels, taxi firms, bus companies catering, security, cleaning services - it is not just about vessels, it is machinery, repairs, bunkering, stevedores and the list goes well beyond maritime. That’s what offshore wind brought to the community.”

Twinned with her journalistic training and experience, she has found incredible advantage in the trade organisation. “It has always brought great benefit to business, and the people involved have always been so welcoming, and it is nice to give back,” she said. “We are all voluntary directors, but what you give you get back, you get pushed out of your comfort zone, but why not? The more businesses we can support, the better it is for the region. 

“We should be shouting about what we can do on the Humber, we’re at the forefront of offshore wind, hydrogen, decarbonisation and - for being the highest CO2 emissions area in the UK - we’re also going to be leading the way with carbon capture.  The investment into that side of the industrial decarbonisation plan is huge and kudos to the big players who are making it happen. We all have a responsibility, but it takes leadership, and the Humber is one of the leading areas.”

Camilla quite rightly, was recognised for her leading role too, but she modestly deflects the spotlight on to the emerging talent and innovation that the Humber Renewables Awards champion. 

Referencing the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition, with Hull’s MMS involved in GT Wing’s new propulsion technology, Tidal Transit fitting electric engines to crew transfer vessels and the first charging points proposed at offshore farms, she said: “All will be normal in a decade’s time, but they are starting here.

“That’s the joy of the Humber Renewables Awards; you find out about all these amazing innovations, and what they are doing, be it projects, community involvement or skills. A lot of it is at grass-roots level, and some is led by the big corporates, while offering game-changing experiences to our educational sector. It is amazing and all ties in, and it needs celebrating. 

“There are so many amazing people that do so much, not just within their businesses but outside of that. It was a surprise to hear my name, and I was quite unprepared for it. I really was so honoured because I know what people do for their communities, and - particularly when you have been a judge – you know about so many different companies and different people, who you admire. To then to be picked out and have that recognition was really touching. It is very special as there are some amazing people who have been Humber Renewables Champion in the past.  

“It was wonderful, but then you have to double-up your efforts, make sure you earn the title until the honour passes on to the next recipient!”

Could that be you? 

Entries are now being sought for all open categories, with a deadline of Friday, March 14. The Humber Renewables Awards dinner is the finale to Offshore Wind Connections 2025, taking place at Hull’s DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel on May 1st Orsted, Rix Renewables and RWE are supporting, with Business Live as media partner. Further opportunities for sponsorship are still available. For more information, or tickets to the event, visit  www.humber-renewables.com or email awards@humber-renewables.com.

This year’s categories for the Humber Renewables Awards:

Humber Renewables Small Business of the Year (under 50 employees) 

In partnership with Orsted

This category will recognise those who have spotted an opportunity in the renewables market. The winner will be able to demonstrate fast growth, a healthy profit and a solid plan for the future. It could be a company set up solely to work in green energy or a traditional business which has branched out. One of the reasons Siemens Gamesa decided to invest in Hull was because of the great engineering and maritime infrastructure the Humber already has. Enter here.

Last year’s winner: River Energy and Renewables Ltd

Humber Renewables Medium / Large Business of the Year (50+ employees)

Running a major company is tough in any field but in an evolving sector like renewable energy it has complexities beyond most. Businesses have to be instantly adaptable, on top of the latest technology and ready to make the most of opportunities offered by the Government’s regularly updating green agenda. This award’s winner will be a regional firm with at least 50 employees and bold ambitions to become even bigger. Judges will be looking at past financial performance and recruitment in the past year. Enter here.

Last year’s winner: RWE

Best Renewable Energy Project or Installation

This prize is for the game-changers that are making it happen. Judges will be looking for a winning project that produces clean power, is built to the highest of standards and encapsulates the area’s expertise. The category is open to schemes of any scale, from multi-million pound developments to micro-generation programmes. It could be won by a firm focused on renewables or a company, public sector organisation or educational establishment which has done its bit to reduce our carbon footprint. Enter here.

Last year’s winner: Tidal Transit

Excellence in Renewable Skills and Training

Multinational green energy companies may have their eyes on the region and feet on the ground but success in bringing them here means nothing if they cannot find qualified employees. Getting the training right for any potential workforce is vital and this award will celebrate those organisations which have done most to create a much-needed skills base. The category is open to employers, specialist centres and education providers. Enter here.

Last year’s winner: Hull College

Renewables Education

This category will reward the educators who have done most to promote the value of clean power and understand the opportunities it brings. It could be as part of an energy qualification or learning programme run by a university of college, or a one-off project at a primary or secondary school. Entries will be able to demonstrate what the aims of the project were, how they were achieved and any feedback from students. Submissions may also include details of whether, and how, the project was supported by industry. Enter here.

This award is returning after a break in 2024. 

Green Innovation

Green energy can be cheaper than its fossil fuel equivalents and this is down to innovation. This award will reward firms of any size that go out of their way to be more efficient and are not afraid to come up with novel approaches. Judges will be looking to see how innovation has made a real difference. That could be developing a different business model, refining existing technology to make it leaner and more effective, or introducing a new solution. This award is not just open to energy firms. Companies in the recycling sphere, or those reducing consumption are welcome, as are businesses where inventive methods have seen carbon footprints reduced. Enter here.

This award is also returning after a break in 2024.

Engaging The Community / Community Project

This category will recognise a renewable energy project that has the community at its heart. This could either be through raising public awareness of renewable energy needs or involving a local community in a project. Or this could be a renewables project driven by a local community or organisation, or one that is to the benefit of one. Going the extra mile in support of major initiatives is welcome too, ensuring the Humber and its hinterland reaps what it deserves from hosting such industrial endeavour. Enter here.

Last year’s winner: Projekt Renewable

Humber Renewables Woman of the Year 

In partnership with RWE

This award aims to recognise and celebrate women working in the energy sector who go above and beyond business-as-usual. This may be someone who has consistently demonstrated outstanding leadership, has contributed significantly to the expansion and improvement of the power sector or it could be a young role model who is destined to shape the future of renewable energy, having been acclaimed by peers or the wider industry. Enter here.

Last year’s winner: Lauren Little, Orsted / Humber Offshore Wind Industrial Cluster

Humber Renewables Apprentice of the Year 

Green collar jobs are the envy of many, providing a clear contribution to a better world, with highly skilled on-task learning the backbone of career starts. It is an industry at the heart of levelling-up and perceived vocational and academic differences were swept away on an early tide when it came to getting ahead in renewables. We want to celebrate the success of those engaged in an apprenticeship programme. Enter here.

Last year’s winner: Ryah Russell

Humber Renewables Champion 2024

The winner of this award will have a passionate focus on promoting the renewables industry in this region. It could be an individual, public sector body or company - the key is a real focus on making the Humber the Energy Estuary. They will have tirelessly campaigned to promote green power. A worthy winner would be anyone who has helped attract new investment, encouraged Government support of the ambition or paved the way for more jobs. It could also be an organisation or person who has ensured the reputation stretches beyond the region. Judges will be looking for candidates whose aim was not just to further their own business, but to create opportunities for all. This is a special award, bestowed by the panel.

Last year’s winner: Camilla Carlbom Flinn, Pentagon Marine Ltd / HM&R