CHINESE businessmen could be set to invest heavily in the superport being built in south Essex.

The businessmen from the Nantong Hongbo Wind Power Equipment company and Jiangsu Tongguang Photoelectron Company, visited the London Gateway Port being built off The Manorway, in Stanford-le-Hope.

They came to see whether there is the potential to manufacture offshore wind farm equipment in the area.

Essex County Council’s deputy cabinet member for economic development, Roger Walters, and Thurrock Council’s councillor responsible for regeneration and housing, Andy Smith, welcomed them to the site.

Mr Smith said: “The visit went very well. DP World made it very clear they will have 20 hectares of land available for the Chinese, and I think they were impressed with the site.

“It has ideal access for the motorway and there will also be a railway.

“I’m hopeful they will decide to build their machinery here and it will bring a lot of jobs to the area.”

The port is expected to generate £3billion to the UK economy once complete, creating up to 12,000 direct jobs, and around 20,000 indirectly.

As well as the port, DP World is also creating a huge logistics and business park on the site. Mr Smith said: “I was really pleased with the progress they are making at the site, it will bring a lot of jobs to the area and its got my full support.”

The visit was part of a series of events organised by Essex County Council’s International Trade Team, which it hopes will create new export and inward investment opportunities, as well as jobs, in Essex.

Both Chinese companies are from the province of Jiangsu, which is at the centre of the Chinese offshore wind energy industry.

HWE supplies high quality wind power tower equipment to companies around the world including America, Spain and Denmark.

JTPC is one of China’s leading optical fibre and cabling companies.

The businessmen were accompanied by a representative from the Nantong Bureau of Commerce.

No date has been given for the port’s completion, but the timescale for the construction period is between ten and 15 years.

DP world is currently reclaiming land using soil created from dredging work in the Thames