The UK Government has announced a more than £55m investment to expand the Port of Cromarty Firth in Scotland to position it as a central hub for the growing floating offshore wind industry.
The move is expected to create hundreds of skilled jobs and stimulate economic growth, aligning with the government’s Plan for Change.
As part of the UK’s commitment to achieving clean power by 2030 and establishing itself as a clean energy superpower, the government has recognised offshore wind projects as a key element. The UK already hosts the largest operational grid-connected floating offshore wind farm globally and has an additional 30GW of wind power capacity in development.
The grant, sourced from the Floating Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Scheme (FLOWMIS), will enable the Port of Cromarty Firth to become the UK’s first port capable of manufacturing floating offshore wind turbines on-site and at scale.
This initial investment is set to attract further match-funding from other investors, with the port’s operational commencement targeted for the beginning of 2028.
The construction phase of the port’s expansion is projected to generate up to 320 jobs. Once fully operational, the port could support approximately 1,000 skilled positions in various sectors, including construction, installation, and operational support for both offshore and floating offshore wind projects.
UK 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.”
Launched in 2023, FLOWMIS offers grants for the development of port infrastructure essential for the large-scale deployment of floating offshore wind. The Port of Cromarty Firth is one of the two ports chosen for this funding, with the second port, Port Talbot, currently in the planning stages for development.
Recently, the UK government unveiled proposals to accelerate the rollout of homegrown clean energy projects.
