Wick Harbour’s Offshore Wind Development Enters Planning Stage (UK)

July 19, 2013

After receiving a GBP 450,000 boost to dive in offshore wind industry, Wick Harbour Authority is currently planning to install heavy lifting equipment and to dredge the channel to the harbour’s commercial quay.

This development will enable the port to become an offshore wind construction base for two large projects proposed for the Moray Firth off the coast of Caithness. The proposed Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm in the Outer Moray Firth would have between 142 and 277 turbines, depending on turbine size, and would generate up to 1,000MW of wind power. Also, Moray Offshore Renewables Ltd (MORL) plans to develop a wind farm on the Smith Bank in the Moray Firth, which would comprise 339 wind turbines and would have an output of 1,500MW.

To ensure that its facilities meet the requirements of industry, Wick Harbour Authority is working on a multi-phase programme. The installation of heavy lift facilities at the port’s commercial quay and the dredging of the entry channel to the quay is the first project, which has attracted grant support of up to £250,000 from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and up to £200,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). The Harbour Authority has also been successful in attracting private funding for this phase of work.

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Offshore WIND Staff, July 19, 2013; Image: wickharbour