The first vessels have started using an upgraded quay at Aberdeen harbour after £19million of investment.
Aberdeen Harbour Board (AHB) said yesterday the first phase of the £30million redevelopment of Torry Quay had been completed.
The quay, used for the first time by the cargo vessel Skandi Foula, now has nearly 1,000ft of deepwater berths and a stronger dockside for heavier lifts.
AHB engineering director Ken Reilly said: “There is a growing trend for increasingly large, deep-drafted vessels. The completion of this first phase, an important stage in one of the harbour’s largest civil-engineering undertakings in recent years, is a cornerstone of our ongoing development.
“With the wharf now fully operational, it will help to ensure that we continue to meet the needs of existing and new users.
“The port plays a vital role in terms of infrastructure, both regionally and nationally.
“This will enable us to bring further opportunities to the north-east, now and in the future.”
AHB will now press ahead with the second phase of the project, which is expected to take a year to complete. It includes filling in the River Dee dock with rock and surfacing it with concrete to create more than 200,000 square feet of operational space.
The harbour enjoyed record tonnage last year after 7,784 vessels visited Aberdeen, including 5,421 oil and gas support ships.
Goods were shipped through Aberdeen to and from locations including Africa, Russia and the Falklands during 2011, with total cargoes rising by 2% to 4.76million tonnes.