Harbour Board News

Aberdeen Harbour Board has awarded two new contracts for the construction of the South Breakwater and Crown Wall, with a total value of £60 million (USD 83,5 million)Dutch marine and offshore contractor Van Oord will act as the principal contractor for the 550-meter-long South Breakwater, and Scottish-based construction firm Beattie FRC will build the concrete Crown Wall along the length of the North Breakwater.Both structures will provide critical protection for vessels and operations within the Harbour expansion, ultimately protecting the port from a one-in-300-year storm.

A £350m ($431m) development plan to expand Aberdeen Harbour was approved on December 19, 2016. HR Wallingford has been involved in the project from its initial concept stages in 2010, and will be working with Aberdeen Harbour Board right through to construction, and undertaking modelling work for the approved contractor, Dragados UK Ltd. The new facilities will include 1,400 meters of new quay, with a water depth of up to 10.5 meters. Construction will begin in early 2017, with the project due to be completed in 2020.

A joint taskforce has launched a Code of Practice to protect Bottlenose dolphins near Aberdeen’s Harbour mouth, and provide guidance to vessels operating in the port. The code has been developed by a joint taskforce who have come together as a result of increased interest in the dolphins. The group includes Aberdeen Harbour Board, East Grampian Coastal Partnership, Police Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage; with expert advice from the University of Aberdeen, RSPB, the Sea Mammal Research Unit and Whale and Dolphin Conservation.

NorSea Group (UK) Limited is making a major, long-term commitment to the UK with the announcement that it will take over operatorship of Smith Quay and Embankment at Peterhead on a 10-year agreement as of September 1. NorSea Group also has a 15-year lease at South Quay in Montrose and a long term agreement with Scrabster Harbour Trust. John Wallace, CEO at Peterhead Port Authority is delighted to welcome NorSea Group to the Port given their profile within the industry, personnel and resources. ‘We built up a strong portfolio of clients at the Smith Quay base, but it became apparent that we needed a professionally focused and integrated company such as NorSea Group to continue the success and provide the level of service expected at Peterhead, to grow this business further.

Scotland's Aberdeen Harbour Board submits its 'Directions for Growth' document to the National Planning Framework. In response to a call for candidate developments the document outlines the findings from an ongoing feasibility study, which was launched in September to assess the viability of potential expansion options for a new or improved harbour facility. Three potential locations out with the existing harbour have been considered – North Beach, immediately to the north of the harbour…

Aberdeen Harbor has welcomed the largest ever vessel to the port after the completion of a £5.2 million program to improve access and deepen the Navigation Channel. The improvements – designed to open the harbor to larger vessels and new markets – were completed five weeks ahead of schedule. The two recent visits of the diving support vessel, Skandi Arctic, were perfect demonstrations that the harbor has entered a new era. Measuring 27 metres in breadth and 156 metres in length…

Aberdeen Harbor Engages in Study into Potential Port Expansion. Aberdeen Harbour Board has commenced a major feasibility study into the potential expansion of facilities at the port. Continued growth in traffic and cargos, as well as an increase in the size of the vessels has prompted the study, as projections indicate that Aberdeen Harbour will remain the principal port for the oil and gas sector in the North Sea and West of Shetland. The harbour has also been outlined as a potential…

Aberdeen Harbour Board has awarded a £5.2m contract involving major improvements to the port entrance and for widening and deepening the navigation channel. Harbour Board chief executive, Colin Parker said: “As the centre of activity for the energy industry’s marine operations in North-west Europe, the importance of targeted investment and development has been a top priority and, with the energy industry evolving, we have worked hard to ensure we stay ahead of the game. ”Once…

Aberdeen Harbour Board has announced the completion of a £4 million refurbishment project at Commercial Quay East while welcoming the arrival of a new £1 million workboat. The reconstruction work at Commercial Quay East began in January 2010, with main contractor, McLaughlin and Harvey Ltd working alongside Glasgow-based consultant engineering firm Jacobs’, to undertake a varied programme of works. The project, part of Aberdeen Harbour Board’s £65 million development plan, included refurbishing the quay’s existing…

British company Red7Marine has become the owner of Damen’s new Stan Tug 1205, the first in a new ship series which was only just unveiled to the market. Damen Shipyards had decided to show its new tug series at the Seawork Show held in Southampton in mid-June. But already on the second day of the international show the first Stan Tug 1205 was sold. “It is rare to sell a vessel directly at a show so we are delighted, especially because she had just come out of the yard,” said Casper Vermeulen, Damen Sales Manager Europe.

Aberdeen Harbour Board has appointed James Bell as finance director following the recent retirement of Graeme Clark after 26 years service. Bell joins the Board from the Caledonian Brewing Company, a subsidiary of Heineken UK, where he was head of finance since 2002. A graduate of Dundee University, Bell initially trained with Bird Simpson, Chartered Accountants, and spent seven years with Meston Reid & Co before joining Diageo in 2001.

Britain’s leading ship supplier, Hutton’s, has responded to growing demand from the offshore oil and gas sectors by opening its biggest UK depot in Aberdeen. Hutton’s, which recently announced record sales figures, moved into the 13,000 sq ft (1300sq m) depot from a smaller 5,000 sq ft warehouse a month ago. Hutton’s need for expansion is a result of increased business from the offshore industry. The new facility is located near Aberdeen harbour and provides Hutton’s with considerably increased capacity. In addition, the depot provides modern office space with up-to-date IT systems and hi-tech meeting facilities. Leased from the Harbour Board the unit is recently refurbished and houses 350 cu m of chilled and frozen freezer facilities and 382 ambient pallet places.

Hundreds of Unite members working at the Dover Harbour Board will begin a further three day strike starting 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 27. They will be demanding that their jobs not be outsourced. Unite members voted overwhelmingly in favor (83.8%) of strike action. Unite does not take strike action lightly and is still prepared to negotiate over the best way of protecting its members' jobs. Jane Jeffery, Unite Regional Industrial Organiser, said: "Unite members have voted overwhelmingly for industrial action to protect their employment with the Port of Dover. This is the second strike our members are taking part in and they are determined to protect their terms and conditions of employment. Several hundred workers at the Port of Dover already took part in a two day walk out last week.

Hundreds of Unite members working at the UK’s Dover Harbour Board, began a 48 hour strike starting 7.00am, Tuesday, 18th November. They are demanding that their jobs not be outsourced. Unite members voted overwhelmingly in favour (83.8%) of strike action. Unite does not take strike action lightly and is still prepared to negotiate over the best way of protecting its members' jobs. Unite, the UK's largest trade union, is angry that the port's Chief Executive has stated they are not prepared to negotiate on their plans to outsource work, but only inform the union of their proposals. "Our members have voted overwhelmingly for industrial action to protect their employment with the Port of Dover.