On a visit to Port of Cromarty Firth on Tuesday, The Princess Royal unveiled a plaque officially naming the new £50m expansion as Quay West.
The Princess was welcomed aboard the pilot boat Dalmore for a tour of the Cromarty Firth and the Port’s facilities. During her guided tour, the Princess, who is Chief Commandant of Women in the Royal Navy, also visited the Queen’s Dock. The dock was officially opened by her mother, The Queen, in 1987.
Quay West is made up of two new berths offering a 372m quayside and an open laydown area that measures more than 80,000sqm. The new area is now one of the largest port laydown facilities of its kind in the UK. The new facility is also considered ideal for future offshore renewable projects.
Along with its new laydown area, the site can accommodate the largest offshore wind components, including turbine blades and tower sections. In recent years, the components have drastically grown in size, as have the biggest offshore support and cruise vessels.
Bob Buskie, Port of Cromarty Firth chief executive, said of the Princess’s visit: “We are delighted HRH The Princess Royal could join us to officially name our latest expansion and at the same time tour our facilities to see first-hand our ambitious vision and commitment to securing the port for future generations.”
Buskie went on to add: “Thanks must be given to all those involved in organising this fantastic event, particularly the Lord-Lieutenant of Ross and Cromarty, Mrs Joanie Whiteford, and her predecessor, Mrs Janet Bowen CVO, who worked incredibly hard to make this visit happen.”
During her tour, Anne learned of the port’s history and how it has served the region and Scotland over the last four decades as a Trust Port. The port generates £275 million a year and supports one in six jobs in the Invergordon area. Before leaving, Anne spent the afternoon meeting with staff and board members who presented the royal with gifts from local manufacturers, including florists and distilleries.
