The UK government has announced more than £55m for the expansion of the Port of Cromarty Firth (pictured) in Scotland, which will be a major hub for the floating offshore wind industry.
The expansion of Port of Cromarty Firth will make it the first port able to make floating offshore wind turbines on site and at scale in the UK, backed by a grant from the Floating Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Scheme (FLOWMIS).
This initial financial backing from the UK government paves the way for the port to secure match-funding from other investors, with the port expected to become operational by the start of 2028.
Construction work on the port’s expansion is expected to create up to 320 jobs.
When fully developed, the port is expected to support up to 1,000 skilled jobs in the construction, installation and operational support of offshore and floating offshore wind – such as crane operators, marine engineers, and people working on the vessels towing the turbines out to sea.
Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “Communities in Scotland and across the country should be powered by reliable, home-grown, clean energy from British coastlines – this is how we reduce our reliance on unstable fossil fuel markets and bring down energy bills for good.
“That’s why the government is getting on with building the infrastructure needed to roll out clean energy quickly, creating skilled jobs in local communities and driving growth – the priority in our Plan for Change.
“The UK is already a world leader in floating offshore wind, but this support for Cromarty Firth will take us even further – creating hundreds of jobs in Scotland and delivering energy security for the UK.”
Scottish Secretary, Ian Murray added: “Scotland is a key part of making the UK a global leader in clean energy and this investment is a significant vote of confidence in the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport and the surrounding area.
“Through our Plan for Change the UK Government is paving the way for cutting-edge floating offshore wind technology while also helping to create highly skilled jobs and drive economic growth.”
Alex Campbell, chief executive of the Port of Cromarty Firth, said: “The Port is delighted that FLOWMIS funding has been secured for our ambitious Phase 5 expansion, which is a critical step towards creating the UK’s first custom-built floating offshore wind integration port.
“We believe this confirmation by the UK Government shows the faith in our Trust Port status to deliver jobs and economic growth locally and nationally, and that the certainty from this announcement will unlock further investment in other Ports across the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport to boost their complementary plans.”
The £55.7m grant award is the latest step taken by the government to deliver clean power by 2030 and support growth.
The government also launched the Clean Industry Bonus, incentivising offshore wind developers to invest in cleaner supply chains and create jobs in industrial communities.
FLOWMIS was launched in 2023, designed to provide grants to ports to support development of port infrastructure needed for deployment of floating offshore wind at scale.
The Port of Cromarty Firth is one of two ports selected for funding, with plans for the second shortlisted port, Port Talbot, under development.