Highlands And Islands Enterprise (HIE) has welcomed an agreement that brings together two dozen organisations representing almost 25GW of ScotWind projects with an estimated value of £1.4bn per GW to work together to maximise the benefits of the industry.

The new signatories of the SOWEC Collaborative Framework Charter were announced by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP at the All Energy Conference and Exhibition in Glasgow.

These and other signatories are also responsible for a further 6.7GW of other Scottish projects either in construction or under development.

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Enterprise agencies, Scottish Government and SOWEC have been engaging Scottish ports to look at how best to involve them in collaborative discussions with developers.

Stuart Black, HIE chief executive, said: "Offshore wind offers huge potential for the Highlands and Islands and for Scotland. Along with emerging green hydrogen production, it's part of our long-term strategy for the region. Nearly £300m has been invested in our region's ports and harbours since 2010, and we now have a network of those serving the industry's growth.

"Developing a thriving supply chain around all of this requires solid collaboration across all parties. That's what the charter is all about. I'm delighted to be working with our partners to really make sure offshore wind delivers maximum benefits for Scotland's economy."