Offshore contract provides jobs boost for Port of Nigg

141 jobs will be supported at a Highland port which has been selected as a base for 114 wind turbine foundation structures, destined for a huge offshore project.

48 new jobs will be created and a further 93 will be supported at the Global Energy Group’s Port of Nigg in Tain.

The Seagreen Offshore Windfarm is a £3 billon venture between SSE Renewables and Total, located 27km off the coast of Angus.

It will be Scotland’s largest and deepest offshore wind farm when complete.

According to SSE, there will be enough green energy to power more than 1.6 million homes, equivalent to two-thirds of all Scottish homes.

Seaway 7 are Seagreen’s foundation and inter-array cable Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Installation contractor.

On behalf of development partners SSE Renewables and Total, Seaway 7 has appointed Global Energy Group to run marshalling and logistics out of GEG’s Port of Nigg.

CEO of Global Energy Group, Tim Cornelius, said: "The heavy load bearing capacity and deep-water quayside together with the facility’s strategic location and onsite, experienced, support services make the Port of Nigg the ideal choice for the execution of projects of this scale.

"We are delighted to be supporting Seaway 7 on the Seagreen Project on behalf of SSE Renewables and Total and look forward to welcoming the foundation structures to our facility."

Scotland’s Energy Minister, Paul Wheelhouse, welcomed the contract as a further boost to Scottish offshore renewables and the country’s green recovery.

He said: "This contract provides a further boost to Scotland’s growing offshore renewables industry, sustaining existing jobs and delivering new, skilled jobs to the area and supporting Scotland’s green recovery from COVID-19 – a high priority of this Government.

"It is a testament to the skills and expertise of all those who work at the Port of Nigg, and I know the team at Nigg are well-regarded globally for their knowledge in the offshore and marine energy sectors.

“This, coupled with the launch of Crown Estate Scotland’s first ScotWind leasing round, marks a significant step as we push forward with our ambitious and World-leading plans to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.

"The Scottish Government is committed to supporting the offshore renewables sector in Scotland and our recent Offshore Wind Policy Statement and our Sectoral Marine Plan for offshore wind are both geared towards seeing 11GW of offshore wind generation capacity being installed in Scottish waters by 2030, with scope for further growth beyond that.

"We are working hard to ensure that we support the supply chain to increase the contract value it secures from these future offshore wind opportunities and this latest contract win will help further enhance the Port of Nigg’s strong track record and capabilities."

Director of Capital Projects at SSE Renewables, Paul Cooley, commented: "Since the start of 2020 SSE Renewables has begun construction on three crucial offshore and onshore wind projects here in Scotland with a combined investment total of around £3.5 billion; including Seagreen, our joint venture with Total.

"Once operational these Scottish projects will provide clean power for more than half the homes in Scotland. And importantly, these low carbon projects are powering a green, economic recovery right now through their support of more than 1,000 high value green jobs in Scotland, including direct, contractor and supply chain roles."

Executive Vice President for Renewables at Seaway 7, Steph McNeill, said: "We are looking forward to continuing our successful, collaborative relationship with SSE Renewables, Total and Global Energy Group as we help construct Seagreen.

"We have been active in the UK renewables sector for over a decade and are very pleased to continue to support the ongoing energy transition in the UK, bringing our offshore wind expertise to the largest offshore wind project in Scotland."