Freeport East bosses hope a new government package will help unlock the scheme's full potential in Suffolk, Essex and the wider region.
A new government Freeports Delivery Roadmap contains support for inward investment, trade, and job creation - including more than 50 measures related to transport planning, energy infrastructure, skills support, and innovation funding at its eight freeports - free trade sites with tax perks.
It also includes a new £150m fund for business investments in freeports and investment zones.
Freeport East - which has sites at Felixstowe, Harwich and Stowmarket - has already attracted significant investment - including a giant £200m hub for retailer The Range at Gateway 14 in Stowmarket.
And Scottish Power plans to develop a £150m multi-hundred megawatt green hydrogen production facility at the Port of Felixstowe.
Freeport East chief executive Steve Beel welcomed the roadmap - and said the measures would directly benefit local communities.
“The new commitments in the roadmap come at an important time for us," he said.
"As our progress with inward investment continues, we are keen to ensure we see the wider changes needed to maximise the full potential of Freeport East.
“Our work to secure more investment in our local grid capacity, our push to secure the delivery of strategic infrastructure investments, such as rail enhancements at Ely Junction, and our vitally important skills agenda, are just some of the examples where the roadmap will give us greater opportunity to deliver for our local area. "
Since their launch in 2021 freeports have attracted nearly £3bn in investment and created more than 6,000 jobs in two years.
The Roadmap includes an enhanced role for the UK Infrastructure Bank in financing infrastructure upgrades ta freeports and encourages joint working between freeports, Institutes of Technology and local colleges.
Minister for Levelling Up Jacob Young said, “We are already seeing the vast and undeniable opportunities that freeports are bringing, having brought in almost £3 billion of investment, which will create thousands of long-term jobs in sectors of the future.
“Our action plan in the Freeports Delivery Roadmap will maximise the potential of these communities to become centres of innovation and investment, with clear delivery timeframes to ensure rapid progress.
“Our goal is to improve lives for local people in areas historically overlooked and Freeports are helping us achieve that.”
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