Port enhancements for offshore wind: assessment of current and future marshalling & assembly capacity in Scottish ports

The report aims to assess current and future marshalling and assembly capacity in Scottish Ports for offshore wind deployment. The report follows on from Crown Estate Scotland’s 2020 “Ports for Offshore Wind Study” focussing on that report’s finding that there was a forthcoming capacity gap in land available for offshore wind marshalling and assembly activity. It was commissioned for a client group of Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Crown Estate Scotland.

Evidence and data was collected through direct engagement with 16 port authorities/operators. This utilised a structured interview process with port operators to identify planned and potential expansion opportunities. Built on information from ports, a capacity model through which short-medium and longer term capacity for this use can be reviewed was developed. Proposed enhancements were considered by consultants in relation to scale, challenges around engineering, consenting and level of investment based on the stage of the proposal at the time of interview.

The report identifies a range of proposals at different stages of development which, if delivered, will provide additional land for Offshore Wind marshalling. It provides an assessment of the challenges for each of these proposals based on varying stages of development of each.

The report makes no direct recommendations. It provides a basis for engagement between relevant stakeholders to plan how best to deliver additional capacity.