Port of Aberdeen, a historic maritime hub with a brand-new harbour expansion, has set its sights on becoming a national centre for floating offshore wind. During a recent visit by Mairi McAllan MSP, cabinet secretary for energy and net zero, the port outlined its ambitious plans, including a £25 million project to deepen its South Harbour basin to accommodate the growing demand for floating wind technology.
The move comes as the UK ramps up its offshore wind capacity, particularly in floating technology, which is well-suited to deeper waters. The Scottish government has set ambitious targets for offshore wind, aiming to generate 11GW by 2030, a significant portion of which is expected to come from floating wind. Port of Aberdeen’s strategic location, within 100 nautical miles of 17GW of planned floating offshore wind projects, perfectly supports this growth.
‘Priority’ status
The proposed upgrade project, which has been granted ‘priority’ status in the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council’s Strategic Investment Model, is expected to significantly boost the UK’s floating offshore wind industry. It will enable the port to handle large-scale turbine integration and marshalling projects, as well as long-term maintenance and component exchange.
“Scotland’s ports are crucial in realising our huge offshore wind potential, and it’s fantastic to see Port of Aberdeen invest in Scotland’s future and our journey to Net Zero—further demonstrating the ambition of everyone involved in developing Scotland’s offshore wind sector,” said McAllan.
This development is expected to attract substantial investment to the region, potentially on a scale comparable to the early days of the North Sea oil and gas industry. It could also create a wealth of new jobs and opportunities in the renewable energy sector, further solidifying the UK’s position as a global leader in offshore wind.
Bob Sanguinetti, CEO of Port of Aberdeen, said: “Our significant investment in South Harbour means we are on the brink of becoming a national hub for floating offshore wind. With expansive laydown areas, the proposed ETZ on our doorstep, and 1.5km of quayside accommodating vessels up to 300 metres long, we are well-equipped for this next phase.”
Long-term value for the UK
The Port of Aberdeen project represents more positive news for the UK’s offshore wind ambitions. The Crown Estate’s UK Offshore Wind Report 2023 revealed that the UK was home to 43% of European offshore wind capacity.
The Crown Estate’s role is to create long-term value for the UK, and it will prove crucial in helping to scale capacity using the land and seabed it manages to catalyse net zero.
One of its key areas of technology development is the Celtic Sea. In October 2023, the organisation revealed its intention to raise the available capacity for its Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5 to 4.5GW. The group increased this figure from its original 4GW capacity.
