Port of Inverness has appointed a General Manager to help support its role in the new Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport.
Ailsa Andrews, the Port’s first ever appointee to the new position, has more than 20 years’ experience in the marine sector in the Highlands. She previously worked at Scottish Canals, where she was operations manager for the Caledonian Canal.
Chief Executive Sinclair Browne said: “This new role underlines the potential for growth at the Port and our commitment to delivering a first-class service to all our stakeholders. Ailsa’s experience of the Scottish marine sector will be invaluable as we maximise all the opportunities presented by our role at the centre of the new Green Freeport.
“Port of Inverness is set to deliver real growth for the whole of the Highlands while helping the area lead Scotland’s transition to a sustainable future and we are delighted to have someone of Ailsa’s calibre on board.”
New General Manager Ailsa Andrews said: “This is an exciting time to join Port of Inverness, with the establishment of the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport and our involvement in the delivery of several renewable energy projects in the region. Port of Inverness has been a vital asset in the Highland regional economy for more than 175 years and it’s a privilege to be playing a part in its continued success.”
Port of Inverness is a Trust Port, an independent statutory body run by Inverness Harbour Trust – a board of trustees who manage the Port’s assets for the benefit of all stakeholders. There are no owners or shareholders and any surplus is reinvested in the Port.
The Port is a founding member of Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport which anticipates over 11,000 new jobs in the Highlands will be created as a result of Green Freeport status with over £3 billion of fresh investment also set to be attracted to the area. A full business case setting out how the Green Freeport will be developed was submitted to the Scottish and UK governments in June and is currently being considered.