Politics Home Article | Scotland’s industrial future

Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm components at the Port of Leith

Scotland faces a critical moment for its economic future.

The decisions taken over the coming years will determine not only whether we achieve our net-zero ambitions, but whether we do so in a way that strengthens industrial resilience, secures long-term investment and creates high-quality jobs across the country.

That is why the Scottish government’s recent emphasis on a balanced energy strategy is welcome.

An approach that recognises the continuing role of oil and gas, alongside renewables, hydrogen, alternative fuels and carbon storage, will be essential if Scotland is to deliver economic growth, energy security and decarbonisation together.

At Forth Ports, we witness every day how interconnected these sectors are.

As the owner and operator of seven strategically located ports across Scotland, we provide support for nationally significant trade, logistics, and industrial activity spanning agriculture, manufacturing, construction, containers and cruise.

And our ports on the Forth and Tay estuaries are increasingly central to the energy transition.

Through our specialist businesses, including Forth Projects and Targe Towing, we are supporting major infrastructure and renewables projects while continuing to serve Scotland’s wider industrial economy.

This work is underpinned by a £500m investment programme from Forth Ports, currently being delivered across our network.

That investment includes new renewables and logistics terminals, multi-modal transport links, mixed-use developments, and low-carbon fleet expansion.

This is creating skilled jobs, supporting apprenticeships and enabling billions of pounds of wider industrial development.

The Forth Green Freeport is also helping unlock new opportunities at the ports of Burntisland, Grangemouth, Leith and Rosyth by providing incentives to attract advanced manufacturing, energy projects and inward investment.

However, while Scotland has enormous advantages – from natural resources and engineering expertise to world-class port infrastructure – there are several areas where sustained government attention will be essential if we are to maximise this opportunity.

Energy policy must remain balanced and pragmatic.

Recent global instability has reinforced the importance of energy security and supply chain resilience.

The challenge facing the UK is not simply replacing one energy source with another; it is integrating oil and gas, hydrogen, renewables, alternative fuels and carbon storage into a coherent system.

That means ensuring that the transition is economically sustainable as well as environmentally responsible.

Scotland has a unique opportunity to maximise the economic value of both its renewables potential and the remaining oil and gas reserves under the North Sea.

Achieving this will require constructive collaboration between the Scottish and UK governments, particularly as wider efforts to reindustrialise gather pace.

Planning and consenting reform must also become a priority.

Over recent years, Forth Ports has successfully delivered major projects including the £50m Charles Hammond Berth at the Port of Leith for offshore wind deployment, expanded renewables facilities on the Tay through Duneco Quay, and developed new logistics facilities at Grangemouth.

However, experience across the sector shows that the current consenting process is still far too slow and uncertain.

The lengthy delays associated with projects such as the Berwick Bank Offshore Wind Farm have highlighted the wider challenges facing infrastructure developers.

The UK government has already begun taking steps to improve timelines through reforms to the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects regime, the use of regulatory sandboxes, and closer coordination between environmental regulators.

Scotland must maintain its competitive position as ports along the east coast of Britain compete for offshore wind investment.

The UK must also capture more of the offshore wind value chain.

It is not enough simply to host offshore developments; we must secure the manufacturing, integration and wider supply chain activity that will generate lasting economic value.

The proposed Vestas nacelle and hub factory in Leith represents a major opportunity.

If delivered, it could act as a focal point for a wider offshore wind cluster centred around Leith and, potentially, Burntisland.

The Scottish and UK governments have rightly recognised the importance of securing this investment.

But equal focus must also be placed on attracting the wider supply chain opportunities that will determine whether ScotWind delivers a transformational industrial legacy.

Scotland has the resources, skills and infrastructure to lead the next phase of industrial growth and energy transition.

With the right policy framework, faster decision-making and continued partnership between governments and industry, we can ensure those opportunities are realised here in Scotland for decades to come.