Up to 1,500 jobs to be created as £42m work begins on expansion of Kishorn Port in west Highlands

Up to 1,500 jobs could be created as work begins on a £42m expansion project in a port on the west Highland coast.

The Scottish Government is providing £24m through Highland and Islands Enterprise (HIE) for an expanded dry dock and land reclamation at Kishorn Port, near Strathcarron, so that floating offshore wind foundations can be manufactured at the western Highland port.

Total investment in the project, including private investment, is £42.2m.

Kishorn was used in the 1970s to construct the Ninian Central oil production platform, which was the world’s largest floating concrete structure.

HIE said it is hoped the expanded facilities will help Kishorn Port win projects with the potential to support as many as 1,500 jobs, once the site is fully developed.

During its construction phase, the project will support 84 jobs for up to 18 months. RJ McLeod is the principal contractor.

The investment forms part of up to £500m the Scottish Government has pledged to spend over the next five years to develop both the country’s ports and the offshore wind supply chain.

Kishorn Port Limited (KPL) director, Alasdair Ferguson, said: “With a quarry on-site, Kishorn Port is ideally suited for manufacturing of concrete floating offshore wind sub-structures. This Phase 1a expansion project will enable us to provide full integration, with laydown, marshalling and assembly in the long-term.

“The development opens Kishorn to new market opportunities and we are receiving strong expressions of interest to utilise the enlarged dry dock area, along with the additional laydown space, for floating offshore and decommissioning projects. As well as Scotland, our key target markets are the Celtic Sea and the Irish Sea.”

Ferguson continued: “Importantly, this project will provide the catalyst for the support and creation of jobs within Wester Ross and the wider Highlands, benefiting communities across the area.

“This is another very significant milestone in the continuing development of Kishorn Port and we are grateful to Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Government for their support.”

Kate Forbes has called it one of the “most significant public investments in our port infrastructure”. STV News

Deputy first minister Kate Forbes said the cash is a “clear signal from the Scottish Government and Highlands and Islands Enterprise that will give investors the confidence to invest millions more in the area’s wider infrastructure, economy and people”.

“This is one of the most significant public investments in our port infrastructure in decades,” she said.

“It is crucial to ensuring Kishorn Port and the communities it supports can reap the benefits of the global renewables market.”

HIE chief executive Stuart Black described the development of offshore wind as being a “massive opportunity for the Highlands and Islands”, as he added that “Kishorn is one of several ports that are at the heart of this”.

Mr Black said: “The facility has provided skilled jobs in a rural area for many decades and this is likely to grow significantly, which is vital to community resilience in a priority west coast location.

“The proposed dry dock expansion and land reclamation will greatly enhance the port’s capacity to support offshore wind and the contribution it makes to Scotland’s economy.

“I’m delighted that we’ve been able to secure this significant additional funding for the region and look forward to continuing to work with Kishorn Port Ltd as the project develops.”