After securing Green Freeport status in 2023, the Port of Cromarty Firth is now charting a course for the future by securing £50m for renewables infrastructure that will create hundreds of new jobs – while also planning a major expansion of its cruise ship operations
In every sense the past 12 months has been a flagship year for the Port of Cromarty Firth (PoCF). Despite months of uncertainty on the wider economic front, 2023 began on a decisively positive note for the port, with the eagerly anticipated announcement that it had – with Forth Ports – been selected as a site for one of Scotland’s two new green freeports.
A partnership of more than 30 public and private sector organisations led by PoCF, maximised the port’s geography, natural assets and infrastructure and the months since have seen significant developments, says Joanne Allday, strategic business development manager at PoCF which has invested more than £50 million in new infrastructure, helping to position it as a leading renewable energy hub.
“Some of these investments are already beginning to come to fruition,” she says. These have included Sumitomo Electric, the Japanese cable manufacturer, announcing plans to bring 150 direct and 350 further jobs to Nigg in Easter Ross, underlining the confidence investors have in its vision for a net zero economy.
It’s part of the Inverness and Cromarty Firth bid’s plan to build a “world beating” floating offshore wind manufacturing sector with sites in Invergordon, Nigg, Inverness and Ardersier.
Ms Allday says that job creation has started at the Freeport since Calum MacPherson was appointed chief executive last August with contracts awarded to local PR and HR support companies plus legal and accountancy support and two additional Freeport staff.
“We’re already achieving what the Freeport was intended to do, which is generating business opportunities and jobs, and it’s great to see that so early on.”
The hard work though is just beginning she says. “We recently submitted the update to our outline business case and hopefully this will mean it can now be approved by the governments by March or April this year so that the special tax arrangements can be brought into effect and companies can start claiming the associated tax benefits,” she says.
Scotland of course is a pioneer and world leader in floating wind power and the Cromarty Firth has supported more offshore wind projects than any other location in the country due to its location and large deep water port facilities.
The summer of 2021 saw significant expansion with the opening of PoCF’s Quay West development at Invergordon which, with two new berths and a 372-metre quayside has one of the largest port laydown facilities of its kind in the UK, at more than 90,000 sq m.
“This has enabled us to win some very large projects indeed,” says Ms Allday, highlighting that PoCF’s facilities at Invergordon were used for marshalling the Beatrice and Moray East offshore windfarms and were selected by Moray West as the location for the marshalling of all its 62 wind turbine monopile substructures, prior to installation as part of the Moray West offshore 882MW wind farm currently being installed. These are the biggest monopiles in Europe with the heaviest weighing up to 2000 tonnes.
The port’s capacity to undertake such major projects also relies on the expertise of a proven supply chain.
“We’re blessed with one that is very flexible and since we have been engaged in wind projects since 2005 is one of the most experienced in the country,” she says.
“There are several local companies involved in the Moray West project with Sarens PSG one of the principal contractors, as well as many smaller firms.
“Delivering projects such as this underlines their impressive track record and is evidence that Scotland is able to support these huge infrastructure projects.”
In the green hydrogen space, the opportunities have moved, says Ms Allday “from if to how, and now to when”. She notes that Storegga and ScottishPower have formed a partnership to develop, build and operate green hydrogen production plants and their first project to be progressed will be the Cromarty Hydrogen Project, located just west of Invergordon.
“It received hydrogen allocation round funding just before Christmas which was a major milestone.
“Everyone is excited about that project as it’s one of only two in Scotland to have received that funding to go ahead.”
Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine has unsurprisingly changed the conversation around reliable domestic energy security – and while the incentives to decarbonise have resulted in a decline in North Sea oil and gas activity, Ms Allday believes that will continue to be an important market for the port, probably for the next few decades.
“The oil and gas industry remains very important for Scotland and is a constant market – whereas offshore wind can be quite ‘lumpy’.
“For our business in the Cromarty Firth, it’s crucial to have a mix of activity and our role as a Trust Port means keeping the port as busy as possible to create continuing employment and business opportunities for the supply chain,” she says.
Adding to that mix is the expansion of a highly successful cruise ship business.
By the end of last year PoCF had received over 220,000 passengers and is expecting a record number this season with about 118 cruise calls due to start arriving on April 3.
Last year, it had more inaugural calls than ever and this year will see the first arrival of Cunard’s Queen Anne, the company’s newest ship in 12 years with a passenger complement of 2000. “It’s an important market, one that generates more than £20 million for the Highland economy,” says Ms Allday reiterating that this is a vital component in businesses that combine to make the port successful.
“Every port has a different strength. If you are in the right place with the right facilities and capabilities for certain key sectors, you will prosper. In this sector we’re often not competing with our neighbouring ports, but working with them to deliver what a large industry needs.”
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