The owner of Ardersier Port has secured a further £100 million investment to aid its redevelopment into Scotland’s largest dedicated offshore wind deployment port facility.
The Haventus-owned port is part of Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport and will offer a 450-acre site with quayside access.
The new funding secured is a joint credit facility from the Scottish National Investment Bank and UK Infrastructure Bank, with £50m from each.
The port project will also include the development of a new 2,132 ft quay wall and associated quayside.
US investment firm Quantam Capital group pledged £300m to the redevelopment last year.
Port in position to become ‘critical offshore wind hub’
Haventus chief executive Lewis Gillies said support from the two banks will help in taking forward the “nationally significant project”.
He said: “With their support, and that of Quantum, Ardersier Port is poised to become a critical offshore wind hub and an important job creator and enabler.
“It will play a crucial role in helping the country meet its net zero ambitions.
“With work now underway on site, we aim to have the facility open and operational in the second half of next year.
“This progress has been achieved in a very short period, due in large measure to the constructive engagement we have had with the Highland Council, our consenting agencies and regulators and government departments.”
Once operational, the facility will “significantly increase” the offshore wind port capacity, supporting the transition to net zero.
Haventus said the project has already created around 300 jobs and hopes to take that figure up to 500.
It is also talking to several ports across the United Kingdom, Europe and North America as it looks to expands its portfolio.
£100m investment can help Ardersier Port with ‘era-defining opportunity’, says First Minister
First Minister John Swinney said the country’s growing offshore wind capabilities present “an era-defining opportunity”.
He said: “Not only to achieve a just transition to net zero, but to harness the skills which lie across our energy sector and wider supply chain to create thousands of green jobs and transform our regional and national economies.
“The Ardersier Port redevelopment, which is central to the ambitions of the ground-breaking Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport, exemplifies this opportunity.
“This show of support from both banks demonstrates the huge confidence in this new facility and its role in helping deliver a fairer, greener future for everyone.”
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