Highlands green freeport plan signed to create about 11,000 jobs

A landmark agreement establishing the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport was signed Friday, wrapping a five-year planning process and setting the Highlands on a path to become a major international hub for offshore renewable energy. Officials said the plan could generate more than 11,000 jobs over the next 25 years and attract billions in investment as the region pivots toward low-carbon industry and supply-chain development.

The signing of the memorandum of understanding between the Port of Cromarty Firth, the UK and Scottish governments, and Highland Council creates a formal framework for running the port as a green freeport. The arrangement outlines how the port district will operate, including zones where tax incentives and reduced tariffs apply to companies, with two site types designed to accelerate investment and job creation. The deal unlocks £25 million in UK government seed funding aimed at early-stage infrastructure projects that support the wider freeport programme.

ICFGF is a collaboration between public and private sector partners, with directors that include leaders from Highland Council, the University of the Highlands and Islands, SSE Renewables and Global Energy Group. The freeport encompasses six main sites, including the Port of Cromarty Firth at Invergordon, the Port of Nigg, the Highland Deephaven site near Evanton, and Inverness Campus, among others. The portfolio is designed to host offshore wind components, maintenance facilities, fabrication and assembly spaces, and related logistics operations, creating a cluster that supports Scotland’s energy transition.

Officials say the plan could bring more than £6.5 billion of investment to the Highlands over its 25-year horizon. Calum MacPherson, chief executive of ICFGF, said the port’s ambition is to deliver positive change for the region’s economic prosperity while supporting Scotland’s clean-energy goals and job opportunities in the offshore wind supply chain. The freeport will provide a framework to attract manufacturers, service providers, and research activity aligned with a renewables-intensive economy.

The signing marked a milestone in the UK government’s bid to boost growth in all regions, with the project described by government ministers as a pivotal moment for the Highlands. Douglas Alexander, the Scotland Secretary, called the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport a “pivotal moment” in the wider effort to stimulate economic growth in all parts of the country and to advance a clean energy future. Scotland’s Deputy First Minister, Kate Forbes, called the signing an “exciting milestone” and projected up to 11,300 jobs in the Highlands, noting the plan aligns with the Scottish government’s Fair Work First policy focused on high-quality employment and local opportunities.

The freeport concept revolves around places inside a country’s borders where normal tax and customs rules are adapted to encourage investment and innovation. In Scotland, the boundaries for a port are set jointly by the Scottish and UK governments. Green freeports feature two site categories—tax sites and customs sites—where different incentives apply, and businesses can base themselves in one or both. The 2022 bidding process produced five bids for two zones in Scotland, with the Opportunity Inverness and Cromarty Firth bid alongside others such as the Clyde Green Freeport, Aberdeen/Peterhead, Forth Green Freeport, and Orkney Green Freeport. Inverness and Cromarty Firth were announced as a winning bid in September 2023, with operators expressing that the freeport was open for business and that seed funding would follow regulatory approvals.

The project comes as Scotland and the wider UK seek to accelerate clean-energy development, build domestic manufacturing capacity, and create resilient local economies. The portfolio’s strategic locations—deep-water quays, laydown areas for offshore-wind components, and expansive industrial sites—are intended to shorten supply chains, reduce transport costs for large-scale wind turbines and related equipment, and attract global investment in low-carbon technology. While the exact mix of jobs and investment will unfold over the coming years, officials emphasized the plan’s potential to diversify the Highlands beyond traditional sectors and position the region as a leading node in Europe’s offshore wind industry.

As implementation advances, the governance board and delivery team for the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport will coordinate with local authorities, universities, and industry partners to align infrastructure projects with business needs and regulatory requirements. Support from government and industry is framed not only in terms of immediate capital but also through ongoing programs aimed at workforce development, supplier opportunities, and sustainable development, including commitments under Scotland’s climate and energy objectives.

The Highlands plan reflects a broader push to deploy offshore renewables, attract technology and manufacturing players, and stimulate jobs that can endure as energy markets evolve. Officials cautioned that the realization of 11,000 to 11,300 jobs and the full € or £6.5 billion investment figure depends on continued cooperation between the port authorities, Scottish and UK governments, and private sector partners, as well as the pace of securing private funding and delivering the required infrastructure. If realized, the green freeport could reshape the Highlands’ economic landscape, expand regional skill development, and contribute to a more robust, low-carbon energy supply chain in the United Kingdom.