North and north-east ports part of ambitious new Scottish group

Leading ports including Aberdeen, Inverness and Lerwick have teamed up to form a new group to make more of emerging opportunities in offshore wind.

Their Scottish Offshore Wind Ports Alliance (Sowpa) boasts supply chain expertise across manufacturing and fabrication through to marshalling, assembly, and operations and maintenance.

By working together, the ports aim to tackle “common and complex industry challenges through knowledge sharing and collaboration”.

A spokesperson for Sowpa added: “Collectively, this will improve regional competitiveness and enhance the value proposition in support of ScotWind, Intog (Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas) and all future offshore wind leasing rounds in the UK.”

Which ports are involved?

The founding members of Sowpa are:

• Kishorn Port
• Port of Nigg
• Lerwick Harbour
• Ardersier Port
• Orkney Future Ports – Orkney Harbour Authority
• Port of Cromarty Firth
• Stornoway Port
• Port of Montrose
• Port of Aberdeen
• Fraserburgh Harbour
• Port of Inverness
• Peterhead Port Authority
• Scrabster Harbour

‘Critical enabling role’

Iain Sinclair, executive director at Global Energy Group, which owns and operates Port of Nigg, said: “Ports have a critical enabling role in the industrialisation and deployment of offshore wind in the UK.

“Today’s announcement demonstrates that ports are motivated to take the initiative, work proactively and diligently together, and align with the whole offshore wind ecosystem to maximise the localisation of the supply chain requirements.”

He continued: “Sowpa’s collective capability, knowledge and expertise is a world-leading value proposition.

“We have a willingness and appetite to enhance our competitiveness, address supply chain challenges and deliver against Scotland and the UK’s offshore wind ambitions.”

Sowpa ports will work together to support the delivery of recommendations in recent industry reports from the Offshore Wind Industry Council, Offshore Wind Growth Partnership and Industrial Growth Partnership.

Each of these reports highlighted the key role of ports infrastructure in delivering Scottish and UK-wide offshore wind ambitions and industrial growth.

Huge offshore wind pipeline

Nearly 30 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity is planned over the next 10 years through the ScotWind leasing round alone.

This will put substantial pressure on existing port capacity.

Mr Sinclair added: “The ports recognise the scale of the potential opportunity on the horizon and are making significant investments aimed at delivering optimised port infrastructure solutions for offshore wind.

“We can and want to do more, and this is best achieved by aligning the required enabling infrastructure with industry needs.

“The crucial role of Scotland’s green freeports also cannot be understated.

“They will be essential in attracting inward investment and paving the way for new supply chain opportunities, which will have a catalytic effect on the pace of deployment.”

Scottish Renewables chief executive Claire Mack said: “The global opportunity in offshore wind is huge. Alongside attracting investment to Scotland, this alliance will give us the ability to share experiences.

“We’ve already seen multi-millions of pounds in private sector investment go towards creating world-class facilities which will provide the cornerstone to industrial growth zones in and around our ports for decades to come.”

Climate Action Minister Gillian Martin said: “Scotland’s ports are crucial in helping unlock our huge offshore wind potential.

“Private investment, stimulated by up to £500 million of Scottish Government backing over the next five years, will be critical to the continued growth of the sector.

“Partners across the sector and wider supply chain have already shown a strong appetite to take a strategic and collaborative approach to delivering investment in ports, manufacturing and fabrication.

“Establishment of the Offshore Wind Ports Alliance will ensure that, collectively, our world-leading infrastructure facilities are optimised to deliver our offshore renewables revolution.”