A Chinese company has been named as preferred bidder to provide marine works for the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon project.

China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) was awarded the £300 million contract which includes the development of a six mile lagoon wall in Swansea Bay.

CHEC will be responsible for building the bund wall and coffer damn along with sourcing and transporting rock armour/materials to Swansea Bay.

Landside and marine crews will also be managed by CHEC.

The delivery of the £1 billion project by Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay (TLSB) aims to create a programme of Chinese investment into UK infrastructure.

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CHEC has established a UK subsidiary company and has committed to approximately 50% of UK content for the delivery of the marine works package.

Mr Lin Yi Chong, President and CEO at China Harbour Engineering Company, said: "CHEC has taken the strategic decision to enter the UK infrastructure investment and construction market, and we see the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon, a pioneering scheme that could bring the world a new energy option, as the cornerstone project in our business development strategy in the UK and wider Europe."

Chief Executive of Tidal Lagoon Power, Mark Shorrock, said: "Having encouraged CHEC to bid this job and invest in Western European infrastructure projects by creating a British base, I was delighted, following an intensive competition, when my engineering colleagues recommended CHEC for our seminal Swansea Bay project."

(LM)