Virtual Study Tour of the Port of Cromarty
The Port of Cromarty Firth has long been recognised for its potential as a great port. During the event we will demonstrate the Port’s offshore wind capability and the journey it has gone through to become fully operational offshore wind port.
Preparing for offshore wind
1973
Historical Image of Invergordon
Cromarty Firth Port Authority established
1978
Transocean Leader Rig – 2020
The Cromarty Firth welcomes Oil & Gas and Cruise
The first oil & gas drilling rig is anchored in the Cromarty Firth and Invergordon welcomes its first cruise liner.
1987
Queens Dock – 2013
Queens Dock Opened
The Port’s Queens Dock facility is officially opened and CFPA celebrates its 100th rig visit with the arrival of the KCA Sandpiper. The Queens Dock facility provides the Port with a new 150m quay with a minimum water depth of 9.0m-11.4m and a 20,000 sqm laydown area.
2007
Offshore Wind Turbine leaving the Cromarty Firth
The Cromarty Firt h welcomes Offshore Renewables
The Cromarty Firth undertakes its first offshore renewables project with the assembly of the two 5MW demonstration turbines for the Beatrice Oil Field.
2011
Gordonbush Windfarm Blades
Gordonbush onshore windfarm
The Port supports the marshalling, storage and construction of the 35-turbine 71.75MW Gordonbush onshore windfarm.
2015
Port of Cromarty Firth Berth 5 Expansion
Construction of Phase 3 (Berth 5)
The Port of Cromarty Firth constructs its £25m Phase 3 expansion, resulting in a new 154m quayside (Berth 5) with a minimum water depth of 12m and creates an additional 45,000sqm laydown area.
2016
Corriemollie Windfarm Tower Sections
Corriemoillie onshore windfarm
The Port’s Berth 5 and associated laydown area supports the 17-turbine 47.5MW Corriemoillie onshore windfarm.
2017
Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Jacket Foundations at Port of Cromarty Firth
Beatrice offshore windfarm
The Port of Cromarty Firth welcomes the 84-turbine 588MW Beatrice offshore windfarm, supporting the storage and marshalling of the subsea piles and jacket foundations. Beatrice is currently Scotland’s largest constructed offshore wind farm and is capable of providing enough wind powered electricity for up to 450,000 homes.
2018
Invergordon Service Base 2018
Rig, Subsea and Cruise Success
The Port celebrates its 900th subsea project and it 700th rig visit, while also marking 40 years of welcoming oil and gas rigs for Inspection, Repair and Maintenance (IRM).
It also celebrates 40 years of welcoming cruise vessels into Invergordon, bringing tourists from around the world to the beautiful Scottish Highlands.
2019
Moray East Subsea Piles at Berth 5
Construction of Phase 4 (Berth 6 ) and Moray East offshore windfarm
Construction of Port of Cromarty Firth’s Phase 4 expansion commences. This latest infrastructure development will provide a new 218m quayside (Berth 6) with a minimum water depth of 12m and an additional 47,300sqm laydown area.
The Port supports the 100-turbine 950MW Moray East offshore windfarm for the storage and marshalling of subsea pile foundations. Once constructed, Moray East will be one of the largest operational offshore windfarms in the world and will generate enough wind energy to power approximately one million homes.
Combined, the Phase 3 & 4 developments (Berths 5 & 6) provide a 372m quayside with a minimum water depth of 12m and over 80,000sqm of open laydown area – making it one of the largest open laydown port facilities in the country and an ideal location for offshore wind and floating offshore wind projects.
2020
Kincardine Offshore Windfarm Unit arriving into the Queens Dock & Berth 6 Construction
Kincardine f loating o ffshore w indfarm and Future Renewable Opportunities
The Port’ Queens Dock welcomes the 2MW floating offshore wind demonstration unit from Kincardine Offshore Windfarm (KOWL). Construction of KOWL’s 50MW floating offshore windfarm in Aberdeen Bay is supported by experienced supply chain companies at the Invergordon Service Base, completing the onshore handling, marshalling and loadout of mooring equipment.
Crown Estate Scotland open bidding for the next Scottish offshore wind seabed leasing round, ScotWind. This identifies 15 potential sites for development, 14 of which are in close geographic proximity to the Cromarty Firth and presents a sustainable pipeline of opportunities for the region and supply chain.
The Cromarty Firth is independently identified by Crown Estate Scotland as a leading location to support and capitalise on Scotland’s burgeoning offshore wind and floating offshore wind sectors, and become a strategic renewable energy hub.
A letter of intent is signed between the Port of Cromarty Firth and IDEOL, a global leader in floating foundations for offshore wind. This partnership is centred around establishing new serial manufacturing facilities in Invergordon for floating offshore wind substructures.
Opportunity Cromarty Firth (OCF) is launched by the Port of Cromarty Firth with twelve private, public and academic partners, including Global Energy Group, The Highland Council, Inverness Harbour Trust and the University of the Highlands and Islands. OCF has ambitions for the Cromarty Firth to become a strategic renewable energy hub and Freeport zone, to capitalise on a significant and sustainable future pipeline of supply chain opportunities.
The Department for International Trade (DIT) promotes British businesses worldwide. DIT is an international trade department, responsible for:
- Bringing together policy, promotion and financial expertise to break down barriers to trade and investment, and help businesses succeed;
- Promoting British trade and investment across the world;
- Building the global appetite for British goods and services.
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DIT is looking to attract inward investors into the UK while at the same time making sure that companies in the UK can export their goods to the wider world.
The UK has a very enviable record in the installation of offshore wind. The UK has been driving this market for a number of years now and is the single largest country with the installed base for offshore wind with over 10 GW of installed capacity in UK waters.
UK strengths in clean industries:
- The UK is the world leader in low carbon and the statement on net zero by 2050 was announced recently. This will act as an accelerant for the transition to low carbon economy.
- We have made sizeable steps in the decarbonising our electricity – we are world leaders in offshore wind with above 10GW of installed capacity and committed to 40GW by 2030.
- We have driven the cost reduction in offshore wind as well as in solar – enabling cost competitive renewables across the world.
- Because of the experience gained from installing large number of wind farms (over 30) we have expertise in operation, maintenance and marine services. The UK has engineering and project management expertise that is essential in the successful delivery of offshore wind farms.
- The UK has developed a strong and stable regulatory framework to drive investments in the clean growth sectors.
- The huge scale of the UK industry has led to a growing and innovating offshore wind supply chain capability across the wind farm life-cycle, from surveys and feasibility, to manufacture and supply, installation, operation and maintenance, and related financial and professional services.
Scottish Development International is Scotland’s trade and foreign direct investment agency.
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Scottish Development International is Scotland’s trade and foreign direct investment agency. Its aim is to encourage more overseas businesses to set up a location here, invest in Scottish businesses or buy Scottish products. We do this by providing information, partnering with businesses and investors who want to set up or invest here, and helping businesses find the connections they need.
We can also help businesses around the world access the huge range of high quality products and services offered in Scotland. Whether you’re looking to import our top-quality products – from whisky and salmon to cutting-edge tech – access our professional services or use our specialised expertise for your project, we can help you find the suppliers you need.