A Montrose construction firm with its roots in the local area going back five generations has been appointed by SSE Renewables to carry out the works on the Seagreen wind farm operations and maintenance base to be located at Montrose Port. 

Pert-Bruce Construction were awarded the prestigious contract in October and will start on site this week. Located at the Port’s South Quay, the base will include an operations building, repurposed warehouse, communications tower, and a pontoon for crew transfer vessels travelling to the Seagreen wind farm site 27km off the Angus coast.

Work on the operations building and repurposed warehouse is scheduled to take around a year and will all be carried out by Pert-Bruce and several local subcontractors. The operations building was previously used by an oil industry supply chain company in Aberdeen and will be regenerated as part of efforts to contribute to the circular economy. 

Managing Director, Craig Bruce said, “We are delighted to be involved in such an exciting development which will have huge benefits safeguarding 25 -30 jobs over the year within our business and our wider supply chain. Being awarded a contract to be part of the largest offshore wind farm in Scotland by SSE Renewables is testament to our diverse capabilities, loyal workforce, and reputation for excellence.

“The Operations and Maintenance base will play a significant role in the day-to-day running of Seagreen and we look forward to getting started on site and taking this important part of the project to completion. “

Andy Kay from SSE Renewables will oversee the delivery of the work at Montrose Port for his company. He said: 

“SSE Renewables has consistently gone beyond the rest of the renewables industry in seeking to create a supply chain that maximises the wider economic benefits for Scotland.

“We aim to utilise Scottish, UK and of course locally based suppliers where possible during development, so we are very pleased to welcome Pert-Bruce on board.  

“My team and I look forward to working with them and their local subtractors over the coming months.” 

Chief Executive of Montrose Port Authority, Captain Tom Hutchison said: “The appointment of local construction company Pert-Bruce to carry out the works here at the Port on the Operations & Maintenance base is great news and demonstrates the huge impact the Seagreen project will have for Angus and its wider economy.

“Pert-Bruce are well known for their highly skilled workforce and commitment to high quality workmanship and I’m delighted that such a renowned local company will be part of this important phase.

About Seagreen

Seagreen selected Montrose Port as the home for the operations and maintenance base for the 114-turbine development in October 2019. 

The 1,075MW Seagreen project is located 27km off the coast of Angus. A £3bn joint venture between SSE Renewables and Total, Seagreen will be Scotland’s single largest source of renewable energy, providing a significant contribution to Scotland’s net-zero ambition and enough clean, renewable energy to power 1.3 million homes. The wind farm will also support a £1.8M community benefit fund which will be divided between six Community Councils.

First power at the wind farm is expected by the end of 2021 with full power coming on stream by the end of 2022.

ENDS

Notes to Editor

Pert Bruce

• ​Pert-Bruce Construction is a mid-sized, specialist contractor based in Montrose, Angus, servicing the whole of the North East of Scotland – including Perthshire and Fife – although principal areas of operation extend from Tayside to Aberdeenshire

• A family-founded business, with roots in the local area dating back to 1871, they are renowned for their diverse capabilities, rooted in their commitment to both their chosen marketplace and their loyal, motivated, and highly skilled workforce

• At any given time their portfolio will contain a roster of work ranging from small commercial and domestic projects from £25k all the way up to £4-5m commercial and private contracts, with clients ranging from private home owners, estate owners, through to blue-chip multi-national companies, architects and market leading developers.

SSE Renewables 

• SSE Renewables is a leading developer, owner, and operator of renewable energy across the UK and Ireland, with a portfolio of around 4GW of onshore wind, offshore wind and hydro. Part of the FTSE-listed SSE plc, its strategy is to drive the transition to a net zero future through the world class development, construction, and operation of renewable energy assets.   

• SSE Renewables owns nearly 2GW of operational onshore wind capacity with over 1GW under development. Its 1,459MW hydro portfolio includes 300MW of pumped storage and 750MW of flexible hydro. Its operational offshore wind portfolio consists of 580MW across three offshore sites, two of which it operates on behalf of its joint venture partners. SSE Renewables has the largest offshore wind development pipeline in the UK and Ireland at over 6GW.   

Montrose Port Authority

• Established in 1493, Montrose Port has developed over the centuries to establish its reputation as a leading centre of international trade and distribution throughout Scotland and northern England.
• Montrose Port Authority has operated as a Trust port for nearly 200 years. In that time, the Trust Board has used its wide range of knowledge and experience to steer the management and development of the Port into the 21st century Port we see today.
• Offering around 1000 metres of quayside on both the north and south side of the Harbour, Montrose Port provides a sheltered haven almost half a mile long. Port facilities include water berths to a depth of 8m, 130,000m2 of open storage, 42,000m2 warehousing and over 2,000m2 of office space.
• Since 2011 the Port has invested over £22m in quayside developments on both the South and North side. £7.7m redevelopment of berth 7 & 8 on the North Quay commenced in July 2018 and was completed in November 2019. 
• Montrose Port Authority signed a seven-year extension to its contract with Baker Hughes for the provision of internal and external storage facilities earlier this year.