Port of Ardersier Ltd, the company behind the plan to develop an offshore wind manufacturing hub at the former McDermott Fabrication Yard in Ardersier, has gone into administration.
In 2013, the company submitted applications to Highland Council, Marine Scotland and Transport Scotland for the consents needed to redevelop the site with an aim to turn it into a major European manufacturing port for the offshore wind industry. In January 2014, Port of Ardersier received the planning consent from Highland Council, and the project was granted a marine licence from the Scottish Government in August 2014 .
Administrators from KPMG said that the project was negatively affected by “the economic slowdown and the more recent decline in oil prices”, the BBC informed.
Port of Ardersier Ltd’s CEO Captain Steve Gobbi said that the company was unable to “get things moving fast enough to satisfy the debt attached to the site”, according to The Press and Journal, which further explains that the debts were inherited from the former occupant.
However, Gobbi said there are several parties interested in developing the site for industrial purposes, which could lead to job creation in the area.
Offshore WIND Staff; Image: Port of Ardersier