Achi news desk-
The Erch Isles are known for punching beyond their size in the marine renewable energy sector, as the island archipelago has 5,000 years of history and innovation behind it.
Part of the success is the strategic location between the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean at the crossroads of international shipping highways.
The other is the natural assets that have served Orkney so well – the largest natural harbor in the Northern Hemisphere at Scapa Flow, some of the fastest tidal streams in the world and lots of wind, ideal for positioning Orkney as a focal point for the future. huge projects planned in and around Orkney’s marine environment.
As the largest and busiest local authority-owned port in Scotland, Orkney Harbors has a central role to play in ensuring that its infrastructure is developed to meet the needs of these projects as well as providing a platform for a decarbonised future.
The current portfolio of work sees Scapa Flow as a hub for a range of Ship to Ship oil and gas transfers, a secure berth for platforms as well as a Flotta Oil Terminal.
Last year saw the launch of Orkney’s Future Ports which will bring together a range of marine projects under one name that will transform the infrastructure and services that work in the marine environment.
It is about having a vision for the future, a vision that benefits the Orcadian community, the nation and industry to ensure we are well placed on the path towards a net zero future. We developed a
A masterplan that covers the main improvements to the infrastructure at our piers as well as a brand new quay that will unlock the national asset that is Scapa Flow.
Port developments represent critical infrastructure for the successful start-up of large offshore wind projects, developments which generally take around five years or more from concept to delivery, which explains the urgent need to ensure the investment funds as soon as possible, and why the expansion of ports we have progressed over the last 3 years with the Scapa project, is at such an advanced stage.
We have engaged the support of the Scottish Crown Estate on the purchase of land and investment in SDWQ, while also crucially seeking investment support from both governments through the FLWMIS investment scheme or Strategic Investment Model.
Although we have been unsuccessful in the first, we are proud to be placed as one of the Priority grouping projects, that is those that have received the highest levels of interest from a wide range of SIM Group developers and we look forward to meeting with the key organisations. stakeholders to discuss the principles of a collaborative model, building on the discussions already held.
We understand that offshore wind locations are currently experiencing very high levels of manufacturing interest which can reduce their capacity/availability for marshalling, hence the need for a holistic approach to marshalling capabilities in Northern Scotland; and we note that Highlands and Islands Enterprise is extremely aware of the lack of ports in the region and recognizes the potential of SDWQ.
OIC/OHA, as well as moving projects forward to a stage where any decisions can be made knowing the timescales, is proceeding with the preparatory studies required to ensure that floating marshalling provision/wet storage is Scapa Flow, which will fit in well with any deep water development.
It is this dilemma – often described as a chicken and egg decision – that puts pressure on ports who are asked to invest in large scale and high cost infrastructure that is not guaranteed to deliver all the solutions to the sector that providing the greatest opportunity for the marine environment ever seen.
The tangible certainty that is missing and ports – the cornerstones that allow building on local content opportunities – and so ports are all pushing each other for the available investment funds, while the clock continues to tick.
Ports work together and share ideas on how to solve problems, and a good example is the definition of how wet storage of offshore wind structures can be defined, permitted and managed.
Orkney Future Ports is about so much more than infrastructure expansion.
We must consider piers for a future ferry replacement fleet in our Islands, expand marine tourism marinas and redevelop waterfront areas, improve our cruise reception facilities to ensure sustainable managed growth in our successful cruise sector right who see Orkney as one of the following. the busiest cruise ports in the UK.
Beyond OFP the high voltage undersea power cable to carry renewable energy from Orkney to mainland Scotland is underway as well as the three new onshore wind farms that have been given permission.
For a small group of islands it is a big challenge to be net zero and transition from oil and gas as quickly as we would all like but there is reason to be optimistic about the prospects.
There are significant opportunities for all our ports and regions to benefit from this transformation and we are confident that we are making sure that everyone is included in some way in our plans to make Orkney and the wider Highland region and The Islands are a marine hub for renewable energy. .
orkneyfutureports.com
