A plan for a major expansion of Port of Cromarty Firth on Scotland’s east coast is expected to make it the first port in the UK capable of making floating offshore wind turbines on site and at scale.
The government has announced a grant of more than £55 million to help make the port a major hub for the UK’s floating offshore wind industry. Offshore wind projects are crucial to delivering the UK’s mission for clean power by 2030.
It is hoped that the initial funding will encourage funding from other investors, with the port expected to become operational by the start of 2028. When completed, it is expected to support up to 1,000 skilled jobs in construction, installation and operational support, including crane operators, marine engineers, and people working on the vessels towing the turbines out to sea.
Alex Campbell, Port of Cromarty Firth Chief Executive Alex Campbell said he hopes that the funding will unlock further investment in other Ports across the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport.
The £55.7 million grant award is the latest step taken by the government to deliver clean power by 2030 and support growth. It comes at a time when the latest figures show that wind is now generating more power than gas.
In addition, the government’s Clean Industry Bonus is seen as a further incentive to offshore wind developers to invest in cleaner supply chains and create jobs in industrial communities.
