Qair, the developer of the Ayre floating offshore wind farm, has started working on advanced plans for a long-term operations and maintenance (O&M) base in northern Scotland, a facility that is expected to support up to 120 jobs.
The floating wind farm is planned to be built at an offshore site east of Orkney and north-east of Caithness, where 67 wind turbines are proposed to be installed for a total project capacity of approximately 1,008 MW.
The project company, Ayre Offshore Wind Farm, received planning consent from The Highland Council in March 2026 and is awaiting a determination by Scotland’s Marine Directorate on the project’s offshore application , for which consultation has concluded.
As part of the next development phase, the Ayre project team has visited several port facilities across Orkney and Caithness, including Port of Kirkwall, Gills Bay Harbour, Scrabster Harbour and Wick Harbour, to assess infrastructure, logistics capabilities and long-term suitability for hosting the O&M base.
The future facility will support the long-term operation of the 1 GW floating wind farm and is expected to create permanent employment opportunities alongside local supply chain work, according to the developer.
“Securing a long-term O&M base in the North of Scotland is a critical step for the Ayre project and a significant opportunity for local communities. We’re committed to ensuring benefits from the project, including high-quality permanent jobs and supply chain contracts, are realised locally”, said Ewan Walker , Ayre Offshore Wind Farm Project Director.
“During our visit, we gained valuable insights to the capabilities of each port and we were able to outline our project requirements. We will continue working closely with partners as we refine our plans and explore how the project can deliver long-term value locally.”
During the visit, the project team also met with regional stakeholders and industry representatives, including Orkney Supply Chain, Orkney Islands Council, Energy of Orkney, Focus North, North Highland Chamber of Commerce, The Highland Council and Highlands & Islands Enterprise.
According to the developer, discussions focused on regional supply chain capabilities, workforce development and opportunities to attract new talent into the offshore wind sector as the project progresses towards construction and operation.