The Port of Dundee’s renewables hub became fully operational in 2022, following a private investment of £40 million by Forth Ports. The port is a key part of the company’s ambitious growth plans across the country to deliver transformational green port infrastructure ahead of market demand to service the growing offshore wind industry. This is delivering results in supply chain development for Scotland.

As part of a tour of the port, the Secretary of State met graduates and apprentices and saw first-hand the port logistics of moving offshore wind components to site in the North Sea. Dundee is currently a marshalling and assembly base for the 54-turbine 450MW Neart na Gaoithe (NnG) Offshore Wind Farm project, which is under construction 15km off the coast of Fife and has started to generate electricity.

Following the completion of NnG, the Port of Dundee is set to become the marine hub for the 72 turbine 1.1GW Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm project scheduled to be built off the coast of Angus.

Rt Hon Ian Murray MP, Secretary of State for Scotland, said: “It was a real pleasure to visit the Port of Dundee, part of the Forth Ports group. It was great to see in action their track record of investing in port infrastructure to support the growing domestic supply chain for offshore wind. That includes the creation of a bespoke renewables hub in Dundee. Along with their hub in Leith, this is a key part of Scotland’s transition to clean energy and to growing our green technologies.”

Stuart Wallace, group chief executive of Forth Ports, who hosted the Secretary of State, said: “It was great to welcome the Secretary of State to see Scotland’s premier renewables hub in operation. We continue to invest in dedicated wind terminal infrastructure to secure green jobs for Scotland, as the nation looks to build its offshore wind industry supply chain capacity. Our new large-scale, purpose-built offshore wind operations at Dundee and Leith* will help grow that footprint further.

“Our recent investment in infrastructure, people and marine services, coupled with Dundee’s strategic location, mean that Forth Ports is already supporting a pipeline of offshore wind projects that are delivering the country’s net zero, energy security and renewables targets.”

The Port of Leith completed construction of its new renewables berth which is part of the transformation of the port into a renewable energy hub that will create thousands of high-quality green jobs and be able to accommodate the largest of offshore wind construction vessels. There will be a large lay down area to allow wind farm components to be stored and assembled and we’re working hard to attract a manufacturer to the site.

In 2023, Forth Ports launched its Net Zero Plan and the actions it is taking to achieve a net zero carbon operation by 2042. The company, which is Scotland’s biggest port operator, also outlined an interim target of achieving carbon neutral emissions (Scope 1 and 2) by 2032, while creating an infrastructure platform – like Dundee, Leith and Burntisland – to accelerate the UK’s path to a decarbonised economy.