Invergordon (Scotland)

Invergordon is a port town located at Cromarty Firth (a North Sea inlet part of Moray Firth) Easter Ross (Northern Highlands, Scotland). Invergordon/Port Cromarty Firth is currently ranked Scotland's largest cruise port. Inverness is to the southeast, at approx 24 mi (40 km) or at ~30 min drive distance (via A9 Road).

Port Invergordon is operated by "Port of Cromarty Firth" (abbrev POCF). According to the Port Authority CFPA, 2017's passenger influx injected into Highland Scotland's economy over GBP 14 million. Among the nearby popular tourist travel destinations are Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle ruins, Tain (resort town) and Inverness, Cawdor Castle (15th century), Dunrobin Castle (13th century, with Earls of Sutherland family memorabilia). Visitors can also travel north to Glenmorangie Distillery (overlooking Dornoch Firth) and then continue to Dornoch.

Port's cruising season runs from April through late-November/early-December. Port's largest cruise liner so far is MSC Meraviglia (GT 171600 tons, LOA length 315 m, max capacity 5400 passengers) which berthed on May 1, 2018.

In 2016, the port handled 63 ship calls and 97,993 cruise passengers. 2017 was a record-breaking year with around 45% increase in cruise ship tourists. Based on pre-booked ship calls (91), the port expected over 142,000 passengers and the maiden calls of MSC Preziosa, CMV Columbus, MS Hamburg, Seabourn Quest, MS Europa 2, Marella Celebration. The first call was of AIDAvita (AIDA Cruises, on April 12) carrying ~1200 tourists. Season 2017 ended with Black Watch (Fred Olsen, on December 3) carrying ~800  tourists.

In 2018, the cruise port handled 171,000 passengers, received bigger-sized liners and the maiden calls of Viking Ocean (ships Viking Sun and Viking Sky). For 2019 were scheduled 12 maiden port calls and 180,000 tourists (16% increase over 2018).

On November 23, 2018, Port Cromarty Firth Authority announced a GBP 30 million (EUR 34M) port expansion project, scheduled for completion in 2020-Q2. In 2016 were announced port's plans to build a new cruise berth, by adding 215 m (705 ft) quayside to the existing Berth 5. The new (second) quayside has length 218 m (715 ft) and land area 9 acres (36,420 m2). The new facility will be serving exclusively the energy and cruise industries. It will have capacity to handle large-scale energy projects (renewable, oil and gas), and also to berth world's largest cruise liners of RCI-Royal Caribbean's Oasis-Class (LOA length 362 m, GT 228,000 tons, max capacity 6370 passengers plus 2400 crew).

Port Cromarty is just 5 mi (8 km) from Invergordon (on Firth's opposite coast). Cromarty Firth is best-known for the North Sea oil rigs owned by Global Energy Group. The 2005-founded company has offices in Aberdeen and Inverness). It also owns Nigg Energy Park - a large shipyard (with a drydock) that specializes in repairs and fabrication of offshore platforms. Along Cromarty Firth are also located all facilities serving cruise vessels, as well as bulk carriers (cargo ships) and oil processing.

Currently, out of Port Invergordon are offered ~90 different cruise shore excursions via partnerships with local premium bus providers.

The first "post-COVID" liner (Marella Explorer 2) visited Invergordon on July 25, 2021, also making an inaugural call at Port Cromarty Firth. The ship was carrying only British passengers and operated British port-only itineraries.

Invergordon cruise terminal