A major dredging operation on the River Tay will be a “game changer” for Perth Harbour, bosses have claimed.
The £870,000 project which is expected to get under way this summer will unlock the port to larger vessels.
The harbour’s future was thrown into doubt last year when it lost its biggest customer, animal feed giant EWOS Ltd, which moved its business to Grangemouth.
Perth and Kinross Council got to work on a business strategy after councillors voted to retain ownership of the docks.
Local authority chiefs were warned by harbour business owners that without major investment, the asset could be lost for good.
Next week, councillors will be told that a deal has been struck for the first phase of work to dredge the port to five metres, just over 16ft.
Scope work is expected to be completed by the end of May, while a tender contract for the job should be issued sometime next month.
Dredging is scheduled to start at the beginning of June and should be completed by the end of August.
A report by council investment manager Serge Merone said the harbour has also been boosted by a deal with construction firm Balfour Beatty, which is bringing material for the new A9/A85 junction in through the harbour.
Mr Merone said that the harbour was now being promoted in specialist directories such as the Ports of Scotland Year Book.
Ross Howie, who operates the harbour’s Calport shipping service, said that, after years of uncertainty, the port was now looking toward a brighter future.
“The imminent dredging programme is hugely exciting for all of Perth’s port users, in particular Calport which handles the bulk of all goods which are delivered and dispatched from the harbour quays,” he said.
“It has been a long time in coming to fruition, but we applaud the council for standing by their promise to increase the available draft of water.
“This will help encourage larger users and bigger ships but crucially it will allow the current coaster ships of around 1,500 tonnes cargo to reach Perth on almost any day of a given month.”
Mr Howie said: “This is a game changer for the port and will allow us to market the excellent geographical location which Perth offers.”
He went on to praise new harbourmaster John Taylor, who he described as “very proactive”.
“We are working closely with him and his team to bring new customers and product to the port,” Mr Howie said.
Dredging will also bolster the council’s plan to transform the Tay into a busy thoroughfare for water taxis and leisure cruises.
