Workers union Unite Scotland has called the decision to have the “vast majority” of the jacket foundations for the 450MW Neart Na Gaoithe (NnG) offshore wind farm fabricated in Indonesia “embarrassing” for the UK and Scottish governments.
Responding to reports that BiFab in Fife has been awarded a contract to build eight jackets for the NnG offshore wind project off Scotland, Unite Scotland secretary Pat Rafferty said: “As we have been warning for months, now, the fact that the vast majority of the jackets are to be built in Indonesia and then transported back to Dundee and Fife must be a source of national embarrassment for the Scottish and UK Governments”.
He said: “EDF Renewables have also claimed that Scotland doesn’t have all the skills and contractors to be able to bid in all aspects of wind farm construction. While we don’t share this analysis, what is abundantly clear is that the renewables strategy specifically in relation to direct job creation and growing Scotland’s manufacturing capacity is a shambles.”
The union did welcome EDF’s confirmation that some jackets will be built in Fife and that jobs will be created at the Port of Dundee and Eyemouth Harbour through the NnG project. Rafferty said the work can provide a “manufacturing footing” for the BiFab yards to build on.
“But greater support from the Scottish and UK Governments to ensure more work and investment is secured there is absolutely vital. The shameful reality is that if it were not for the work of the trade union led campaign to ensure BiFab secured work from the NnG project then in all likelihood there would have been no work going to the yards,” he said.
“Also, there is no clarity so far on what work, if any, will go to the Arnish yard which has served the vast majority of its workers with redundancy notices due to the lack of contracts.”