Local MP Douglas Ross and Buckie Councillor Tim Eagle have warmly welcomed the announcement that the location of the operations and maintenance base for The Moray West offshore wind farm is Buckie harbour.
Buckie will act as the onshore hub for the wind farm throughout its working life and will also be used to support the offshore construction works. The creation of a new operations base will result in important positive outcomes for the economy of Buckie and Moray, including the creation of approximately 60 full time roles on the wind farm.
Commenting, Douglas said: “The announcement by the Ocean Winds joint venture to have their operations and maintenance base in Buckie is great news for the town and the wider community. It will bring many skilled jobs to Buckie and will have a really positive knock-on effect for the local economy.
“This is massive news for Moray and is a real boost for Buckie to be chosen ahead of other potential sites in Fraserburgh and Wick. There has been a great deal of work done by Moray Council and local businesses to highlight the potential for Buckie Harbour and it’s clear there will now be considerable investment in the area going forward.
“This is also really welcome news for the long-term as Buckie will now be the base for supporting Moray West wind farm for the next 30 to 35 years so the town and the local economy will benefit for decades to come.
“This development is thanks in part to support from the UK Government in backing the sector as a whole – and it demonstrates that with the right backing, and with our Governments working together, Scotland can be a significant global player in the renewable energy industry.”
Tim Eagle added: "This is an amazing opportunity for all of Buckie with the potential for new jobs and training. It puts Buckie centre stage in a new renewable future.
“I welcome the potential investment to the harbour, the commitment to work with current fisherman and harbour users and the partnership approach being taken.
