Scrabster Harbour has there is no room for complacency at the Caithness port despite enjoying a huge increase in energy-related activity in the first half of its financial year.
Scrabster Harbour Trust, which has spent millions of pounds on the port’s facilities in the last decade, handled 369,000 tonnes worth of shipping linked to the oil and gas and renewables sectors from April to September, up 89% year-on-year.
Overall shipping tonnage increased 3.6% on last year, while the number of vessel arrivals went up 1.7% to 1,134 vessels.
The port’s main source of income, cruise liners and vessels, also fared well during the six months.
Passenger numbers on the roll on/roll off service between Scrabster and Stromness increased by 4% to 89,712 and cruise ship tourists totalled 3,247, up 45% compared to the 2014 season.
Fishing activity remained steady at Scrabster, which is one of the UK’s top whitefish and shellfish landing ports.
A drop in general cargo operations, brought on by a downturn in timber transportation, was the one blot on the copybook.
The trust’s manager, Sandy Mackie, said he was pleased the port has managed to consolidate, and in some cases build on, what was a very successful trading year in 2014-15.
He said: “It is encouraging that in the first half of 2015-16 overall activity levels have been maintained. Our revenues for the half year are on target and financial performance is ahead of budget.
“Overall we are happy with the financial figures and results, however, we are not complacent and we are acutely conscious of the economic challenges currently affecting important sectors such as fishing and oil and gas. We will continue to promote Scrabster as a multi-purpose port in both Caithness and the north of Scotland.”
More than £35million has been invested in the harbour in the last 10 years and there are plans to spend another £15million plus further down the line.
Two years ago the trust splurged £17.6million on turning the old fish market pier into what is now the Jubilee Quay to attract work from the energy sector.
Recommended for you
