Dundee’s hopes of becoming a world-leading renewable energy hub will be given a major boost if plans to reclaim 30 acres of land from the Tay are realised.
The project would increase the size of the available development land by around 50%, creating more room for heavy industry.
Should a survey prove it is feasible to extend the port, then 1,000,000 million cubic metres of material will be excavated from two other sites in the Tay to provide the reclamation material.
Scottish Enterprise which signed a memorandum of understanding with Scottish and Southern Energy, Dundee City Council and Forth Ports to develop a manufacturing plant at the docks last year is inviting tenders from companies to survey the seabed.
SSE believes the site can become a key location in its offshore wind power development chain, capable of supporting 700 jobs.
If the port is extended by 30 acres, however, that could lead to an even greater investment and potentially even more jobs.
A spokeswoman for Scottish Enterprise said the project is at a very early stage and it is too soon to see where exactly the additional land would be created or how long the process would take.
The Stannergate end of the port is likely to be the easiest to extend and where the space earmarked for development is situated.
”We’re investigating the feasibility of this area to help us understand more about how we can maximise the opportunities for the renewables sector in Dundee,” said the Scottish Enterprise spokeswoman.
The Port of Dundee is 60 acres and its extension would be the largest land reclamation project seen in Dundee in decades.
Much of the waterfront area, and the airport, has been built on reclaimed land.
Dundee City West MSP Joe FitzPatrick said the proposal represents a huge opportunity as the city seeks to position itself at the forefront of the renewable energy industry.
”Dundee Port is an excellent location and, if reclamation goes ahead, this could create an additional 30 acres of industrial space there to offer incoming investors.
”Dredging the material from the river to form the new industrial space will also be a worthwhile exercise, helping to improve the city’s deepwater access channels.
”It is good to see Forth Ports, Scottish Enterprise and other key partners working hard to improve the great natural advantages of the Tay and Dundee Port.”
Tenders must be submitted by October 26 and it is expected the winning bid will be announced in November but it could be months before survey work begins and possibly years before the reclamation process is completed.
A spokeswoman for Forth Ports said: ”We are running a successful and thriving port at Dundee and are pleased to be exploring opportunities, along with Scottish Enterprise, to maximise the potential of the port and to attract new business opportunities.”