Collett, a leading name in specialist wind turbine transport, has successfully delivered 107 wind turbine components to the Lairg II wind farm in Sutherland, Scottish Highlands.
The project consisted of the delivery of nine Nordex turbines, including two N133s and seven N149s from the Group’s award-winning Delta4000 series, with blades transported from the Port of Nigg and all remaining components transported from the Port of Invergordon.
Credit: Collett & Sons Ltd
Collett Delivers Lairg II Wind Farm 1
All deliveries were successfully completed in line with the seven-week planned programme, with the Collett team operating a consistent delivery schedule of three components per day, five days a week.
The largest components included 73-metre turbine blades and mid-tower sections weighing 81.7 Tonnes. The blades were transported using Nooteboom Super Wing Carriers, while tower sections were carried using a combination of tower clamp and step-frame trailers.
Daily operation typically saw a three-vehicle convoy depart, supported by Collett's escort team and Police Scotland. The project team consisted of three truck drivers, three escort drivers, a dedicated site manager, and a project manager.
The remote location of Lairg II presented several logistical considerations along the route. This included navigating through Pitten Trail, where the convoy was required to negotiate the restricted road layout through the small village.
Further enabling works were undertaken at Lairg II, where the left-hand turn into the village was redesigned and widened to provide sufficient space for the turbine components to safely negotiate the junction while also keeping any potential disruption for local residents to an absolute minimum.
Scott Ashdown, Collett Project Manager, commented: “Transporting components of this scale through the Scottish Highlands required detailed planning, particularly when navigating 73-metre blades through restricted sections of the route. The experience of our drivers and escort teams was key to safely managing these movements and maintaining the delivery programme.”
Modifications were also required at the ports, with exit arrangements adapted to accommodate the dimensions and swept paths of the abnormal loads before they began their journey to site. Port storage was utilised throughout the programme to manage the sequencing of components and maintain the planned delivery schedule.
Collett worked alongside multiple stakeholders including Nordex, EnergieKontor, Our Footprints, Police Scotland, Hugh Simpsons and traffic management provider Pat Munro throughout the delivery programme, coordinating movements from the ports through to the wind farm.
Credit: Collett & Sons Ltd
Collett Delivers Lairg II Wind Farm
Ben Dowsett, Area Logistics Manager, Nordex UK & Ireland, Nordex Group, commented: “The successful delivery of the 107 turbine components to Lairg II is a great example of what can be achieved through careful planning and close collaboration across the entire project team. From the ports through to the wind farm, every movement required detailed coordination, particularly given the remote location and the scale of the components involved. Collett’s expertise and commitment throughout the programme helped ensure that all nine Nordex turbines were delivered safely and on schedule, supporting the smooth progress of the project.”
Located approximately four kilometres south-east of Lairg in Sutherland, Lairg II Wind Farm is a 49.9MW onshore wind development by EnergieKontor.