The people of Leith woke up to a spectacular sight today (30^th July) with the 293m long Carnival Legend cruise vessel calling into the port’s new deep water berth. The 88,500 tonne cruise vessel, with around 3,000 passengers and crew on board, was berthed as part of the first full marine trial using the new outer berth.

Built to accommodate the world’s largest offshore renewables support vessels, Leith’s outer berth will be completed and handed over next month (August). The berth will feature a heavy lift capability of up to 100 tonnes per square metre (t/m²), backed up by 175 acres of adjacent land for associated renewables logistics, marshalling and manufacturing.

Leith will deliver Scotland’s largest renewable energy hub on a 175-acre site – supporting Scotland’s energy transition plans, boosting local supply chains, creating new, high quality green jobs and making a significant contribution to the country achieving its net zero carbon emissions targets.

A regular visitor into the River Forth, the Carnival Legend is calling into the Port of Leith itself for the first time, with over 2,000 passengers and 930 crew on board. The ship is 293m long, which is the length of around 25 buses, or three full size football pitches, rising to 12 decks above the water with a tonnage of 88,500 making her over 15 times the size of the Royal Yacht Britannia berthed nearby in Leith. Her guests will disembark in Leith and take advantage of pre-planned day excursions or travel into the city centre to enjoy the many attractions of Scotland’s capital city.

Commenting on the trial of Leith’s new outer berth, Stuart Wallace, CEO of Forth Ports, said: “Forth Ports is driving private investment into vital port infrastructure in our ports to ensure Scotland benefits from future low carbon industries, including offshore wind. Although designed and built for offshore renewables, this successful trial of the new deep water outer berth in Leith with the Carnival Legend is a true milestone for our business as we get Leith ready, ahead of the market, for future renewables projects.”

The Leith Renewables Hub will be part of the Forth Green Freeport’s strategically located tax sites, which aim to reindustrialise central Scotland, generating thousands of high-quality green jobs by increasing trade and supporting the growth of businesses across the Firth of Forth.