The Port of Cromarty Firth has welcomed the study by Scottish Enterprise, Highlands & Islands Enterprise and Crown Estate Scotland. The independent Port Enhancement Study found the Cromarty Firth to be the best location to capitalise on the opportunities stemming from Scotland鈥檚 future offshore wind market due to its existing port and laydown facilities, feasibility and capacity for expansion, and proximity to future development sites.
It comes after an earlier Crown Estate Scotland report published last year stated that port facilities at Invergordon and Nigg would be vital in helping to support a major expansion in the nation鈥檚 offshore wind industry as part of Scotland鈥檚 target to meet its net-zero targets by 2045.
A report last month had also found the area ideal for hydrogen production.
In particular the report highlights the Cromarty Firth鈥檚 鈥榣ong-term potential鈥� to support the construction and deployment phases of future Scottish offshore development zones, including the latest ScotWind Leasing round, the majority of which are on its doorstep. Such activity would create major supply chain and employment opportunities locally, while allowing Scotland to compete with existing UK and European facilities, said the report.
It also emphasises the requirement for port alliances and clustering activity, in order to provide the offshore wind industry with 鈥榳hole project鈥� solutions.
The port said that such partnerships have already been established through the collaborative work of Opportunity Cromarty Firth (OCF). Amongst its members, the OCF initiative features four infrastructure facilities; Port of Cromarty Firth, Port of Nigg, Port of Inverness and Highland Deephaven.
Bob Buskie, chief executive of the Port of Cromarty Firth, said: 鈥淭his report is great news for the Cromarty Firth and the Highlands. Scotland is on the cusp of a green energy revolution and with our leading port facilities, there is nowhere in the country better placed to take advantage of this seismic shift in energy generation.
鈥淭his has been built on a track record of success within the offshore energy industry stretching back more than 40 years. During that period, the Port has worked hard to develop a world-class supply chain and a highly skilled workforce. Coupled with that, the Port has recently invested more than 拢50m in the facilities at Invergordon, which have played an integral role in the Beatrice, Moray East and Kincardine offshore wind developments.
鈥淥ur facilities include significant open laydown capacity, deep-water berths and sheltered anchorages, suitable for accommodating the largest offshore wind components, such as turbine blades, tower sections and foundations, as well as the biggest offshore installation and support vessels.
鈥淏eing a Trust Port, where all of our profits are reinvested into the Port鈥檚 development, gives us huge scope to develop our facilities further and we are investigating new plans to substantially increase our capacity further.
鈥淭hese fresh plans will further open up the Cromarty Firth to supporting a host of major windfarm projects earmarked in offshore areas both close to us geographically and further afield.鈥�
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