On the back of the Scottish-wide National Renewable Infrastructure Plan prepared in 2010, HIE has been very active working with all our ports around the region, getting ready new opportunities in offshore wind, oil and gas, and wave and tidal. Indeed we estimate that over £80m has been invested in Highlands and Islands ports in the past 36 months.
But there are bigger prizes to be won, so that’s why we signed these four new joint working agreements with Global Energy Nigg, Port of Ardersier, Kishorn Port Limited and Cromarty Firth Port Authority. Announced by the First Minister at the Scottish Renewables/Scottish Enterprise Offshore Wind Conference in Aberdeen at the start of the year, these agreements – known as Memoranda of Understanding, or MOU – aim to help the ports attract investment of up to £100m to the Highlands. (more…)