diff --git a/cmake/FindSCOTCH.cmake b/cmake/FindSCOTCH.cmake
index c2a3272f4..7f811e2ec 100644
--- a/cmake/FindSCOTCH.cmake
+++ b/cmake/FindSCOTCH.cmake
@@ -1,28 +1,60 @@
+if(USE_SHARED_SCOTCH)
+  set(LIB_EXT so)
+  set(LIBRARY_TYPE "Shared")
+else()
+  set(LIB_EXT a)
+  set(LIBRARY_TYPE "Static")
+endif()
+
+message(STATUS "Searching for ${LIBRARY_TYPE} SCOTCH libraries.")
+
 message(STATUS "Searching for PTSCOTCHparmetis library ...")
-find_library(ptscotchparmetis_lib NAMES libptscotchparmetisv3.a  HINTS ENV SCOTCH_PATH PATH_SUFFIXES lib)
+find_library(ptscotchparmetis_lib NAMES libptscotchparmetisv3.${LIB_EXT}  HINTS ENV SCOTCH_PATH PATH_SUFFIXES lib)
 find_path(ptscotchparmetis_inc parmetis.h HINTS ENV SCOTCH_PATH PATH_SUFFIXES include)
 
 message(STATUS "Searching for SCOTCH library ...")
-find_library(scotch_lib NAMES libscotch.a HINTS ENV SCOTCH_PATH PATH_SUFFIXES lib)
+find_library(scotch_lib NAMES libscotch.${LIB_EXT} HINTS ENV SCOTCH_PATH PATH_SUFFIXES lib)
 find_path(scotch_inc scotch.h HINTS ENV SCOTCH_PATH PATH_SUFFIXES include)
 
 message(STATUS "Searching for PTSCOTCH library ...")
-find_library(ptscotch_lib NAMES libptscotch.a HINTS ENV SCOTCH_PATH PATH_SUFFIXES lib)
+find_library(ptscotch_lib NAMES libptscotch.${LIB_EXT} HINTS ENV SCOTCH_PATH PATH_SUFFIXES lib)
 find_path(ptscotch_inc ptscotch.h HINTS ENV SCOTCH_PATH PATH_SUFFIXES include)
 
 message(STATUS "Searching for SCOTCHerr library ...")
-find_library(scotcherr_lib NAMES libscotcherr.a HINTS ENV SCOTCH_PATH PATH_SUFFIXES lib)
+find_library(scotcherr_lib NAMES libscotcherr.${LIB_EXT} HINTS ENV SCOTCH_PATH PATH_SUFFIXES lib)
 find_path(scotcherr_inc scotch.h HINTS ENV SCOTCH_PATH PATH_SUFFIXES include)
 
 message(STATUS "Searching for PTSCOTCHerr library ...")
-find_library(ptscotcherr_lib NAMES libptscotcherr.a HINTS ENV SCOTCH_PATH PATH_SUFFIXES lib)
+find_library(ptscotcherr_lib NAMES libptscotcherr.${LIB_EXT} HINTS ENV SCOTCH_PATH PATH_SUFFIXES lib)
 find_path(ptscotcherr_inc ptscotch.h HINTS ENV SCOTCH_PATH PATH_SUFFIXES include)
 
-add_library(PTSCOTCHparmetis::PTSCOTCHparmetis STATIC IMPORTED)
-add_library(SCOTCH::SCOTCH STATIC IMPORTED)
-add_library(PTSCOTCH::PTSCOTCH STATIC IMPORTED)
-add_library(SCOTCHerr::SCOTCHerr STATIC IMPORTED)
-add_library(PTSCOTCHerr::PTSCOTCHerr STATIC IMPORTED)
+set(required_libs ${ptscotchparmetis_lib} ${scotch_lib} ${ptscotch_lib} ${scotcherr_lib} ${ptscotcherr_lib})
+
+foreach(lib ${required_libs})
+  string(REGEX REPLACE "-NOTFOUND$" "" lib_path "${lib}")
+  if(NOT EXISTS ${lib_path})
+    list(APPEND not_found_libs "${lib_path}.${LIB_EXT}")
+  endif()
+endforeach()
+
+if(not_found_libs)
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "The following libraries were not found:\n${not_found_libs}\nPlease ensure the required libraries are available.")
+endif()
+
+
+if(USE_SHARED_SCOTCH)
+  add_library(PTSCOTCHparmetis::PTSCOTCHparmetis SHARED IMPORTED)
+  add_library(SCOTCH::SCOTCH SHARED IMPORTED)
+  add_library(PTSCOTCH::PTSCOTCH SHARED IMPORTED)
+  add_library(SCOTCHerr::SCOTCHerr SHARED IMPORTED)
+  add_library(PTSCOTCHerr::PTSCOTCHerr SHARED IMPORTED)
+else()
+  add_library(PTSCOTCHparmetis::PTSCOTCHparmetis STATIC IMPORTED)
+  add_library(SCOTCH::SCOTCH STATIC IMPORTED)
+  add_library(PTSCOTCH::PTSCOTCH STATIC IMPORTED)
+  add_library(SCOTCHerr::SCOTCHerr STATIC IMPORTED)
+  add_library(PTSCOTCHerr::PTSCOTCHerr STATIC IMPORTED)
+endif()
 
 set_target_properties(SCOTCH::SCOTCH PROPERTIES
   IMPORTED_LOCATION "${scotch_lib}"
diff --git a/model/src/CMakeLists.txt b/model/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 7dd7d82a2..b6946140c 100644
--- a/model/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/model/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ endif()
 # Handle PDLIB, SCRIP, SCRIPNC build files directly instead of through configuration file
 if("PDLIB" IN_LIST switches)
   if("SCOTCH" IN_LIST switches)
+  set(USE_SHARED_SCOTCH OFF CACHE BOOL "Use shared SCOTCH")
   find_package(SCOTCH REQUIRED)
   target_sources(ww3_lib PRIVATE ${pdlib_src})
   target_link_libraries(ww3_lib PUBLIC PTSCOTCHparmetis::PTSCOTCHparmetis)