Forth Ports: providing vital support for Scotland’s renewables industry
Last updated: March 2026
With a key role in the Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm project, Forth Ports is embarking on a new era of expansion, thanks to significant investment across its operations.
To date, the group's purpose-built renewables hubs on the Forth and Tay have benefitted from more than £160 million of private sector investment. This has enabled them to support projects such as the Neart na Gaoithe (NnG) offshore wind farm, and Inch Cape – Scotland’s largest offshore wind development.
A further £30 million in investment is now being used to expand the ports' infrastructure – expanding their landside capability, improving marine access, and upskilling local workforces.
In Leith, the renewables hub is currently supporting the Inch Cape Offshore wind project – the largest project yet to benefit from their enhanced services. The port is managing the full end-to-end logistics for the project, with specialist services provided by Forth Projects and Targe Towing, both part of the Forth Ports Group.
A flagship renewables project for Scotland
As well as providing the port location for Inch Cape, Forth Projects has secured the role of principal contractor. This is Forth Ports’ largest ever offshore wind contract, accounting for £50 million of the £100 million total investment in Leith.
Located in the North Sea, about 15 kilometres off the coast of Angus, the Inch Cape Wind Farm will boast 72 wind turbines over an area of 150 square kilometres. With an expected output of 1.1 gigawatts, it’s set to be one of Scotland’s largest offshore wind farms, making a significant contribution to both the UK and Scotland’s targets for renewable energy.
To construct its turbines, the project will need 54 XXL monopile foundations and transition pieces, plus 18 three-legged jacket foundations with three pin piles per jacket. These components will be shipped to the Port of Leith, off-loaded, and stored before being prepared and loaded for transport to the installation site on specialist vessels, which are some of the largest in the world.
The Port of Dundee will also play a key part as the project’s turbine pre-assembly and marshalling hub later in 2026, building on its success in the same role for the NnG offshore wind farm over the past couple of years.
The first power at Inch Cape is expected to be produced by the end of 2026, with the site fully operational by mid-2027.
Leith: the initial staging point for construction
Last October saw the arrival at the Port of Leith of the first eight XXL monopile foundations. These massive, 2300-tonne structures – each up to 103 metres long, with a diameter of 11.5 metres – were the first of many shipments delivered to the recently developed Charles Hammond Berth.
With a heavy lift capability of up to 100 tonnes per square metre, the deepwater Charles Hammond Berth was designed specifically to handle the world’s largest offshore energy vessels, creating an essential shipping point for Scotland’s offshore wind industry.
It also recently took delivery of the first batch of 15 transition pieces – the 28-metre, 600-tonne components that will connect the monopile foundations to the wind turbines on top of the structure.
The first delivery of XXL monopiles arrives at the Port of Leith
A history of supporting Scotland’s industries
With nearly 60 years of experience in port operations, Forth Ports has long been a key player in Scotland’s economy – so it’s not surprising that it’s set to play a pivotal role in Scotland’s future, too.
The group operates seven ports in Scotland – Leith, Dundee, Grangemouth, Rosyth, Burntisland, Kirkcaldy, and Methil – as well as Tilbury, a major London port. It offers a wide range of land and sea-based services, from cargo handling, warehousing, and storage to pilotage, navigation, and towing.
With this wealth of expertise, Forth Ports is well-equipped to support Scotland’s renewables sectors. For example, its subsidiary Targe Towing specialises in assisting vessels involved in the offshore wind industry. Its fleet of 10 harbour and terminal tugs are adept at manoeuvring large vessels and floating structures, and it can also supply vessels for crew transfer, line handling, and other services essential to marine operations.
By providing such a range of vital logistical support for construction, shipping, and engineering works, Forth Ports is playing a vital role in the development of Scotland’s renewables sector and wider economy. The Inch Cape project is just the start of this exciting collaboration.
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