Associated British Ports (ABP) has signed an agreement to investigate an area for the development of infrastructure to support offshore wind manufacturing, assembly, and marshalling and green energy on the Cromarty Firth in Scotland, within the Inverness Cromarty Firth Green Freeport.
The area, located within the proposed Nigg and Pitcalzean area of the Green Freeport, could support both fixed-bottom and floating offshore wind projects and play a major role in the development of current and future ScotWind leasing rounds, said ABP.
“Offshore wind offers huge potential to generate green energy and – if the right conditions are in place – significant jobs and prosperity benefits to Scotland and the UK,” said Henrik Pedersen , CEO of ABP.
According to ABP, the Cromarty Firth offers an attractive combination of physical and geographic advantages with a strong current group of ports and energy business and benefits from a Green Freeport location.
ABP said its vision is to add to this compelling existing ecosystem to help maximise the delivery of investment, jobs, and opportunity for the Cromarty Firth and the wider region.
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“ We’re excited to explore the potential of Nigg, applying our experience across the UK, including at our Ports of Grimsby, Hull, Lowestoft and Barrow which already host significant offshore wind activity and at Port Talbot, where we are developing a Floating Offshore Wind port project. We look forward to working with key local partners, the community, and public sector stakeholders ,” said Pedersen.
The Floating Offshore Wind Taskforce’s recently published “Industry Roadmap 2040”, estimated that planed floating offshore wind projects in Scottish waters alone will require three to five integration ports.
ABP is already developing plans for an approximately GBP 500 million investment in its port at Port Talbot in South Wales to act as a major floating offshore wind construction facility.
The company says it will be applying the experience from that development as it assesses options for Nigg.