Leading Scottish renewables port welcomes record wind turbine haul

Peel Ports Clydeport has welcomed its largest ever turbines to a key facility for the renewable energy sector following a recent £3m investment in infrastructure.

King George V Dock in Glasgow handled six wind turbines and their 80.5m-long blades – the biggest ever at the site owned by the UK’s second largest port operator.

The arrival of the components wouldn’t have been possible without the port group’s recent development of a new egress road and supporting terminal infrastructure, which was designed to improve the movement of such project cargo through the port.

The turbines arrived on the BBC Raise vessel from China last month and has since been transported to a major wind farm project near Ayrshire.

Jim McSporran, port director at Peel Ports Clydeport, said: “Welcoming the largest wind turbines we’ve ever handled at King George V Dock marks a major milestone for Peel Ports Clydeport and underlines our growing role in Scotland’s renewable energy journey.

“The recent £3 million investment in our new egress road and supporting terminal infrastructure has significantly enhanced our capability to support complex and oversized project cargo like this.

“This is a clear demonstration of how we’re futureproofing our operations to meet the evolving needs of the energy sector and help deliver on national net-zero ambitions.”

The new road, which was completed in spring this year, provides a more efficient route for oversized cargo to Scotland’s major road network. The manoeuvring space for large pieces of cargo was previously limited, restricting operational capability

The investment follows a record year in 2024 for the facility in handling wind turbines, with over a thousand components processed that year. More than 100 turbines and 800 wind turbine components will also be processed at the site over the next 12 months.

King George V Dock’s deep-sea facility is equipped to accommodate the handling of large-scale wind turbine components, allowing for efficient movement of vital equipment to and from wind farm sites.

The facility has processed components for over 1,200 wind turbines, representing more than 35 percent of total capacity installed in Scotland, since 2005 – and more than any other port across the country.

The facility, located on the banks of the River Clyde, has a strong track record in transporting components used for onshore wind projects.