News / Port authority confident as business booms
MULTI-million pound infrastructure investments are now starting to pay off, according to a hugely confident Lerwick Port Authority.
To coincide with the publication of the port’s strategy and business plan 2013, its chairman Harry Jamieson said the business opportunities were good, and he expected a period of growth.
“Forecasts for offshore oil and gas projects being supported from Lerwick over the next three years are very encouraging.
“The authority’s endeavours to keep pace with the size of ships now operating in this sector has paid dividends, with deep-water quays continuing to be provided on the back of a huge dredging project in 2008,” he said on Tuesday.
Jamieson said the authority was committed to maintaining the port as an economic hub for Shetland.
As a trust port, where all profits are reinvested in the harbour, more than £74 million have been invested in port assets since the 1960s, he said.
Currently, there are a number of projects on the drawing board:
- ongoing development of a deepwater quay at Dales Voe for decommissioning which, if constructed, would be the largest single investment in infrastructure yet at Lerwick;
- land reclamation and new quay project at Mair’s Yard which will be completed this summer providing the location for a replacement white fish market, with construction anticipated to start in 2014;
- a 75-metre extension to the new deepwater berth at Greenhead Base is due for completion this autumn;
- a planned development at Point of Scatland as a precursor to redevelopment of Gremista Quay and Holmsgarth north jetty;
- creation of a new industrial estate near Rova Head.
The plan also identifies a number of future projects, including more deep-water berths, expanded lay-down, roll-on/roll-off infrastructure improvements and assessing support for onshore and offshore renewable energy projects.
The plan can be downloaded from its updated and redesigned website at www.lerwick-harbour.co.uk, which also includes a new ‘Lerwick Harbour Today’ feature.
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