Port of Nigg selected as base for Moray West wind turbines

Port of Nigg in the Cromarty Firth, Scotland, has been conditionally selected by manufacturer Siemens Gamesa as the planned location for pre-assembly and installation of wind turbines for the 882 MW Moray West offshore wind farm in the outer Moray Firth, developed by Ocean Winds, a joint venture between EDP Renewables (EDPR) and Engie.

As the preferred bidder, the wind turbine maker has signed a deal with Global Energy Group to use Nigg as the base for installation work. Subject to the award of a Contract for Difference in 2022 and Ocean Winds reaching financial close, the wind turbine components will be marshalled at Nigg prior to installation and commissioning through 2024. The project will consist of up to 85 wind turbines, two offshore substations, and 65 km of export cables.

If successful and converted to a firm order, the agreement to supply Moray West would add to the pipeline of offshore wind projects that have used Nigg, including Moray East, a project in which Ocean Winds is also the majority stakeholder.

Tim Cornelius, chief executive of Global Energy Group, stated: “Having successfully supported three previous installation campaigns including Moray East, our team is very much look forward to welcoming the Ocean Winds back to site. Our location, coupled with existing laydown space and heavy load bearing capacity, makes the Port of Nigg the ideal location to deliver large scale storage and marshalling for both fixed and floating offshore wind projects. We are committed to further capital investment in the development of the necessary infrastructure, facilities and land around the site to support the future increase in demand we expect to see from leading developers such as Ocean Winds.”