Dozens more jobs on the cards as Kishorn port expansion plans get the green light
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MORE jobs could be on the cards at a Wester Ross port after ambitious expansion plans were given the green light.
Kishorn Port was this week given the go ahead to extend its existing dry dock, enabling it to handle ships and marine structures up to 250 metres long – far larger than the current limit of 160 metres.
The increased capacity will allow the port to deal with a "wider range" of decommissioning, maintenance and upgrade projects, and also help it to secure a larger slice of the offshore wind market.
And the port is hopeful that this will fuel greater use of its facilities – driving "the ability to create further employment opportunities within Wester Ross".
Speaking after the council committee meeting Colin Ortlepp said the extension was important in helping to "enhance the port's offering to the offshore wind sector" which, through the current ScotWind leasing round, will take on "a significantly enhanced role in the generation of renewable energy in Scotland".
He said: "We welcome the council’s approval of this proposal which follows a period of over ten years during which Kishorn Port has invested significantly to bring the dry dock and wider port area back to life.
"Last year saw three significant decommissioning and oil and gas projects use our facilities, and we believe the port will host many more projects in future as a direct result of Scotland’s energy transition.
"We’re extremely appreciative of the support we’ve had from the local community, the council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and many others in our journey to bring work back to Kishorn. More activity at Kishorn gives us the ability to create further employment opportunities within Wester Ross."
As well as extending the dry dock into neighbouring land, rock excavated from the project will be used to reclamation an area of foreshore which will provide further land to support the various industry sectors which use the port now and in the future.
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