Montrose Port Authority has completed a further £6 million quay upgrade aimed at attracting a bigger share of the lucrative North Sea business away from Aberdeen.
The move will enhance the harbour’s capacity for handling larger cargo and oil and gas ships, as well as vessels servicing the renewables industry projected to result from the major offshore windfarms approved for the Tay and Forth regions.
The upgrade of berths six and seven on the north side of the port provides deeper water for berthing at eight metres.
The 260m-long facility received its first vessels this week.
The investment follows an £8.5m revamp of two deep-water berths on the south side of the harbour which were opened by Transport Minister Keith Brown in 2012.
The overall £14.5m investment increases the range of vessels Montrose can accept, and offers much greater quayside operational working space.
Berthage charges are lower at Montrose than at Europe’s oil capital, and MPA hopes that its financial advantage and access improvements will make the industry see Montrose as an attractive alternative to Aberdeen.
MPA chief executive John Paterson said the new refurbished quay forms an important component of the port’s ongoing strategy to meet the needs of a diverse range of modern cargo and oil and gas vessel sectors.
“We are delighted that the upgraded quay is operational, and it provides us with much greater flexibility for vessels visiting the port,” he said.
“This offers a fast turnaround when required, and greatly enhancing our overall capacity.
“It also places us in a good position to further enhance our competitive position with other east coast ports for a wide range of vessel service sectors.”
The port upgraded each berth in sequence to minimise inconvenience to shipping and port users.
Mr Paterson said: “It was more expensive for the port doing it this way, but it has meant less disruption for shipping, our tenants, and our neighbours in the town.”
It is hoped the upgraded quay will prove attractive to a variety of vessel types ranging from pulp carriers to oil support vessels.
The quay will also play an essential role in servicing the growing business in fertiliser and scrap-metal cargo vessels.
Montrose port is enjoying strong growth, with shipping tonnage up by 20% on last year. Annual turnover has increased from £2.5m to £4.27m over the last three years.
The number of oil and gas vessels using the port has more than doubled since 2011, and the port is well placed for servicing the offshore renewables sector.
The chief executive added: “We are tremendously excited about future growth prospects for the port, and we will continue to invest in the infrastructure to meet the evolving needs of shipping as vessels increase in size and demand patterns change.”
Both phases of the upgrade were undertaken by Farrans Construction.