Study Backs Cromarty Firth As Ideal Location To Support Scotland’s Major Expansion In Offshore Renewables

The Port of Cromarty Firth welcomes a study by Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Crown Estate Scotland which backs the Cromarty Firth as an ideal location for an offshore wind marshalling and assembly hub.

The independent Port Enhancement Study demonstrates that the Cromarty Firth is the best location to capitalise on the significant opportunities stemming from Scotland’s 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’s offshore wind industry – which will be pivotal for Scotland in meeting its net-zero targets by 2045.

In particular the report highlights the Cromarty Firth’s “long-term potential” 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.

The report also emphasises the requirement for port alliances and clustering activity, in order to provide the offshore wind industry with ‘whole project’ solutions. Once again the Cromarty Firth remains a step ahead, as such partnerships have already been established through the collaborative work of Opportunity Cromarty Firth (OCF). Amongst its members, the OCF initiative features four key infrastructure facilities; Port of Cromarty Firth, Port of Nigg, Port of Inverness and Highland Deephaven.