Offshore Activity Spurs Scottish Harbour Growth

Aberdeen Harbour records significant North Sea energy sector traffic increase in first half 2012.

Continued growth in the oil and gas sector was reflected in the increase in support vessels that used the port over the first six months of the year – up nine per cent from 2,580 in 2011 to 2,814 in 2012 – a further demonstration of the significant role the harbour plays within the energy industry and the benefits it provides to both Scotland and the UK.

The half-year figures detail increases in traffic with both vessel numbers and tonnage on the rise. Total vessel numbers rose by five per cent on the same period last year to nearly 4,000 while shipping tonnage increased by almost nine per cent – from 12.2 million tonnes to 13.3 million tonnes.

Exported goods including oil and gas-related equipment, scrap metal, salmon feed and timber logs also increased by more than eight per cent to 1.37 million tonnes during the first six months of 2012. Imported cargoes increased slightly by 0.3 per cent to 1.07 million tonnes.

The figures from Aberdeen Harbour – the centre of activity for the energy industry’s marine operations in North-west Europe – were released just weeks after work commenced on a £5.2 million program of improvements including the widening and deepening of the navigation channel.

“The large increases in harbour traffic reflect the upsurge in North Sea activity, where exploration continues at pace with significant numbers of support vessels required to service those endeavours. This activity is anticipated to continue creating major economic benefits and opportunities for those involved in the energy sector. As such, continued investment in our facilities is vital to ensure that we are best placed to support the current and future needs of the industry.”