Green light for Aberdeen Harbour expansion project

UK’s oil and gas capital’s harbor, Aberdeen Harbour, has announced that its plans to expand facilities into Nigg Bay, to the south of the existing harbor, are to become a reality.

The beginning of the £350 million ($432.5M) project, which was recently granted planning consent in the form of Marine Licenses and a Harbour Revision Order by the Scottish Government, was sanctioned by the board on Monday. The construction contract with its preferred bidder, Dragados UK, is due to be formalized at a signing ceremony on Tuesday.

“We are delighted that, after six years of detailed planning and extensive consultation with our many stakeholders and the regulatory authorities, we are now in a position to approve commencement of construction,” stated Colin Parker, Chief Executive of Aberdeen Harbour Board.

“Following a detailed engagement process, Aberdeen Harbour Board, in partnership with Dragados UK, a main contractor, will develop facilities over the next three years that will represent a step change in the marine support capabilities in Scotland. These will transform the port’s ability to accommodate the trend for larger vessels we are witnessing across a whole range of industries.

“The expansion will afford existing customers the opportunity to diversify and expand their interests, whilst attracting new customers and markets to the port, including up-scaled decommissioning activity, a more significant share of the available cruise vessel fleet and larger more cost-effective commercial vessels.”